The Dark Man
by CyberGhostface
Summary: After the death of his mother, Artemis is pulled into a battle between the LEP and a demonic enemy bent on tormenting the child genius. Now finished! Please read and review! Not in continuity with the Arctic Incident or any other sequels.
1. Prologue

DISCLAIMER: Holly Short, Artemis Fowl, Foaly, Butler, etc, etc, etc are all propery of Eoin Colfer. My inspiration was the Gnommish Code that ran along the pages. If you cracked it, you know it says that the goblins will rebel, and that a dark figure will draw enemies together. Hmm. Interesting.  
  
Prologue  
  
  
  
The goblins' jail cells, underground.  
  
The cloaked figure walked through the jail cells. Protesting criminals screamed through the metallic bars, shouting profanities and spitting. He took no heed. At last he got to the cell of a goblin with broken nose and covered in tattoos. "Is it dinner time yet?" Says the goblin. "No, my friend, no." The goblin hears a jingling sound. Could it be- ? He looks up. Yes. The cloaked figure is holding some keys! The goblin gets up and puts his face against the bars. "Lemme out!" "Ah, my friend. First you must give me your word that you will follow my lead." The goblin shook his head furiously. The cloaked figure throws the keys in the cell. "Let your friends out, too." He says as he walks off.  
  
Holly Short sat in her cubicle. She was a bit shaky after the Fowl incident, but she had gotten over it. Two guards followed her when she performed the Ritual in case that Fowl boy (or any other human) had any ideas. Holly was trying to type something up but something went wrong every single time. "Having trouble again?" Said a familiar voice. Root. "Do you know anything of the Underground Internet Protocol system? Blah blah blah-" Holly let his voice drift over her. This happened nearly every single day, and he usually left. "-and if you don't want to be sacked-" "Sacked?!?" "Yes, sa-" "WARNING! WARNING" Boomed a computerized voice from the speakers. "ESCAPED PRISONERS FROM CELL ROW 10! ESCAPED PRISONERS FROM CELL ROW 10!"  
  
Holly and Root ran to Foaly, who was in charge of the surveillance cameras. "Show us the tape for Cell Row 10!" Root said. Foaly clicked a couple of buttons and the TV screen showed the jail cells. Every single cell door was swung open. It was bare except for one goblin with a limp leg trudging across the floor. Holly thought that Root wouldn't sack her if she caught this particular goblin. It wouldn't be too hard, would it?  
  
Holly ran down the jail cell and just in time, too. The last goblin was almost free. He stopped dead at the sight of the LEPrecon officer. "Who let you out?" She snarled. "I don't think your IQ number is high enough to build keys." "Him. He let us out." "Who?" Said Holly, who was a feeling a bit scared. "The dark man." Holly's eyes widened in shock. The only people who had the keys were LEPrecon agents. No one would betray his or her people. Or would they? 


	2. Confrontations

1.  
  
Confrontations  
  
  
  
When we last saw Artemis Fowl, he was living a life of luxury. Having succeeding in kidnapping fairy Captain Holly Short, he managed to purge about 30 million dollars in ransom. However, he made a deal with Holly. In exchange for half of the gold, she would make his insane mother sane again. So he got 15 million dollars.  
  
However, it all managed to fall away after Holly Short returned to her people. A month later, Artemis, and his giant manservant, Butler celebrated their victory by visiting Las Vegas. Although Artemis is smart in nearly all terms, he isn't that good at gambling. I think I shall leave it at that.  
  
When he returned home he was as poor as he was before he kidnapped the fairy. All that work, all that planning, were for naught. Well, said a voice in the back of his head, your mother's sane again, isn't she?  
  
He shooed the voice and shook his head in disgust. He bet if he could see Holly now, with all his newly found riches diminished, she would clap her miniscule hands and laugh,  
  
How was he to get more money? He could try kidnapping a fairy for ransom, but he promised Butler he wouldn't do anything as inhumane as kidnap again. Maybe a nice stroll would clear his mind.  
  
  
  
Holly, with the help of Root, managed to purge all the information they could from the goblin with a bad leg. Basically a dark figure ("With crimson eyes" Said the goblin.) gave a particular goblin a key, who unlocked all the other jail doors. Root made Holly go under extra precaution when she wanted to venture above the ground to find trying a goblin or two. Of course, she used her shield, but Root insisted on another thing.  
  
"Mud Girl clothes?!?! Why?" "Because, if this 'dark man' can pull keys out of thin air, I can guess he can disable shields. This way, if he sees you he'll probably think you're just a kid." "Oh come on, you don't believe all the stuff of that Dark Man, do you?" "We didn't believe that someone could steal our gold, and looked what happened!"  
  
She had no choice, and she was to be fitted with Mud girl clothes. Several people who are talented in makeup and disguise added fake, non- pointed ears. She was fitted with overalls and a pink shirt. She looked ridiculous. Even her friend, Foaly brayed laughter in her face at the sight of her.  
  
  
  
Artemis stood by a lake, thinking. Was kidnapping that girl worth it? His mother was sane, yes. But maybe some doctor could help. And Butler almost got killed. He remembered. Holly saved him, even after all Artemis did to her.  
  
Holly put her shield on, and a couple of minutes later she was above surface. The goblins were below intelligent. They usually followed one direction: Forward. So, she trudged through several woods. On the last wood, she heard whispering behind a tree. Arching her back, making sure her shield was on full, she crept behind the tree. If we saw her facial features, we would know her face was full of shock.  
  
Artemis decided to chase away his sad thoughts, and began throwing rocks at the lake. Childish, he knew. But it was the only thing to keep his mind away from last month.  
  
Holly saw a goblin in conversation with a tall figure-taller than Artemis, but not as tall as Butler- in a long black cloak. A hood covered his face, but she could tell his glaring eyes were crimson reds. If she weren't invisible they would be staring right at her. The Dark Man sniffed. "Someone's here." "I don't see anyone," Said the goblin scratching his lumpish head. "Of course you don't, you fool. She's obviously not being seen. I can do it myself." Holly tried backing away. They knew she was here! The Dark Man lifted his fingers. He moved his hand up and down, up and down. Holly looked at herself. There was a white outline outlining her body. "Aha!" Said the Dark Man. Blue sparks shot out from his fingers, hitting Holly in the stomach. She slid down, and she slowly lost consciousness. Her shield flickered on and off like a light bulb losing power. Then it flicked off. "It's a toddler!" Exclaimed the Goblin. "Really. How many toddlers do you know can become dim, er, invisible?" "No, but-" "No buts. I'm seeing who this girl really is." He bent over to Holly's limp body and checked her pulse. Alive. "I'm taking her back to see how a tot can become invisible." All of a sudden, Holly woke up. She was scared, and angry. Without thinking she leaped at the Dark Man. With a puff of smoke, he disappeared. Leaving one scared, helpless goblin. The goblin tried making a fireball but couldn't. Holly ran at the pathetic creature. It had no choice, but to run. Holly chased after it, and was led into a grassy clearing. A clean, blue lake stood nearby. A tall mud boy was standing at the edge, with his back faced off to her. Holly reached for some sort of weapon to tranquilize the creature. It was empty. The goblin took advantage of this and threw a fireball at Holly's leg. The pain was enormous, and Holly fell with a cry. She heard a crack. Her leg was broken. She called out to the boy. "Hey! Stop him!" The goblin gave a wild giggle and sprinted. He was almost gone. "Hey, can't you hear me?" The goblin sprinted faster, now just a speck. "Why didn't you stop him?!" Screamed Holly. The boy turned around. "I don't take orders from anyone, especially you, Fairy." It was Artemis. Artemis Fowl. Holly sat up in the grass (her healing magic was fixing the bone slowly). "Why didn't you stop him?!" Holly repeated. "Do you know that those goblins can shoot fireballs?" "I don't need to waste energy doing you favors." "I thought, you changed, but I guessed you didn't." Holly said, tears of anger and pain welling in her eyes. "Sooner or later, this'll come back to haunt you, I know it." Artemis simply waved his hand in disbelief and walked away, leaving the wounded fairy behind. 


	3. A Demonstration of Power

2.  
  
A Demonstration of Power  
  
  
  
Foaly was typing on his computer when Holly stormed in. Her suit was a mess, and drops of blood stained her lower knee area. "What's wrong?" "Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news." "Considering this day has 99.4 chances of not getting better, I'll take good first." "I almost caught a renegade goblin, and encountered our friend with what some of you say, 'The Dark Man'." "That's fantastic!" "Yes, but you didn't here the second part. The 'Dark Man' escaped-" "We never expected you to catch him. Don't worry." "-but the goblin couldn't. It was quite pitiful. Well, our chase led out to some lake area, and I broke my leg. Some kid was just seeing the sights, so I asked if he could stop that thing, trip it or something. He needn't know it was a goblin, and we could do memory charms later. So, as to luck would've had it, it was Artemis Fowl." "What?!" "You heard me. He couldn't even trip the goblin, and it was so damn close, too!"  
  
The goblins had set up a dwelling in a closed off tunnel. Several boulders littered the place, and so far no one suspected it as a hiding place. The hood hid the Dark Man's face, but the goblins could tell he was in an unpleasant mood. "The abbalah is most displeased. Until now, many suspected me as an illusion by a delirious goblin. Now, a fairy knows that I exist. Do you know how this places us into jeopardy?" "Y-y-yes sir." Muttered a goblin. Despite what happened, he smiled. As he learned about them, he found out goblins were bastardly creatures who didn't take no from anyone. Now, here they were, practically worshipping him. You could rule practically anyone with fear these days. Someone kicking his knee interrupted his thoughts. He looked to see who did it, and a small stubby goblin was there, glaring at him. "You promised us freedom, and now we're bowing down to you! This is what I think of you!" And with that, he spat on the Dark Man's cloak. The Dark Man merely stared. All the other goblins were slowly backing off. But this rebel just stood there. He started inhaling. The Dark Man smiled. Trying to prepare enough fire for a fireball, he presumed. And by the looks of it, he was trying to do a real bomb. That's when the Dark Man leaped forward, and jammed a rock up his nose. The Goblin screamed as the fireball bounded up and smashed the brain. There was a huge explosion and it seemed that the whole place shook as the goblin imploded. The Dark Man sat back down. "Does anyone agree with this unfortunate individual?" The goblins shook their heads. "Good." 


	4. A Death in the Family

3.  
  
A Death in the Family  
  
  
  
Angeline Fowl lay in bed, resting. Artemis and his manservant had gone out, and Juliet had left to see some wrestling show. She had the whole house to herself. So, she began reading a book she never got around finishing.  
  
Around 9:00 p.m. she heard some crashing downstairs. Plates shattering. Most likely a thief. Fumbling for the phone she called 911. Apparently some trouble was going on in Desperation, Nevada about a crazy cop, but they would get to her as soon as possible. The crook wouldn't find anything, too. She kept her stash hidden away in a safe. She heard footsteps come up the stairs. "Artemis?" She called out. "Is that you?" No answer. Just footsteps. She pulled the cover over her head and waited for the crook to leave.  
  
It was no crook.  
  
If Angeline Fowl had lived to see another day, what she saw would have plagued her nightmares forever. Some type of creature, who resembled a small bald person with a hooked nose, and a pimply face covered in tattoos stood in the doorway. Angeline shrieked. The bald man grinned, inhaled a lot of air, and a fireball flew out of his nostrils. Angeline Fowl, mother of Artemis Fowl, knew no more.  
  
Artemis slowly creaked open the door. It was silent. Too silent. "Mother?" He called up to the stairs, hoping for an answer. He got none. "Mother?" He said again. Again, silence. He walked up the stairs, and at once the nauseating smell of burning meat filled his nostrils. Something was wrong, and he dreaded each step.  
  
He slowly moved his way up the stairs, and opened the door.  
  
His mother's room was a nightmare. She lay sprawled across the bed, sooty burn marks covering her face. Some sort of creature was rummaging through her dresser. He didn't know how, but he knew this monstrosity had killed his mother. The creature looked up and grinned at Artemis. Artemis was filled with rage, and jumped on the goblin. The creature kept on inhaling, and Artemis had a gut feeling that it would somehow kill him. So, he stuck his thumb up the creature's nose. The goblin's eyes began to water, and then every bodily orifice started steaming with smoke. There seemed to be a loud crash inside the head, and Artemis knew the creature was dead.  
  
He looked at the creature again. Then he remembered something, something that sent a chill up his spine. "Oh no." It was the creature that Holly was desperately trying to apprehend. He remembered it like it was yesterday. Artemis had been gazing at the pond, when Holly came out chasing after the creature. She called out for him to help, but he just waved his hand off. Holly, no doubt, was in a pretty bad mood. Artemis just shrugged it off.  
  
It's my entire fault, he realized, my entire fault.  
  
Just staring at the goblin brought back hatred. With a wild cry, he threw it through the window.  
  
Several cops surrounded the house. If there were some robbery, the crook would come out sooner or later. "Come out with your hands up." Commanded the chief. "Oh, I think not." Said a voice behind him. He turned around. Some guy wearing a long black cloak stood there. He raised his hand. Up and down. The policemen fell to the ground, temporarily unconscious. They would wake up later and find Mrs. Fowl's corpse, and do the proper things.  
  
The Dark Man, with several goblins, took a stroll around the house. At once, they found the missing goblin sprawled across the grass. The Dark Man looked down with extreme disgust on his face. "Well?" Said a goblin. "Burn it." "I'm sorry?" "You heard me. Burn it." A goblin let loose a fireball on the goblin. The flames illuminating his face, the Dark Man said, "This shall be a lesson to all that try fleeing."  
  
Artemis kissed his mother and left the room. He felt horrible, like some sick bubbling acid was churning in his stomach.  
  
  
  
The Dark Man stared at the pile of ashes. He stood there for a while, and then, his head jerked up. "Someone's coming!" He hissed. "Hide!" The Dark Man disappeared. The goblins looked around and then hid under a bush. Artemis trudged out. If he checked his security camera, he would know of the intruders.  
  
Artemis searched through the forest. He needed to find this thing. He didn't even know if he did find it, if he was able to use it. After trudging through several bushes he noticed something. He thought the dirt seemed a little……………………misplaced. Could it be that the goblins dug their way up to the surface? It didn't seem likely, considering how deep it was, but maybe it was! (He did not know that the Dark Man used some magic to help them reach surface).  
  
It was an hour later when the dirt came undone. He looked down. It was a hole all right. It was like staring down into a tube slide. So, he put on some goggles to keep dirt from being inhaled. He hesitated for a while. Then, he took a deep breath and plunged into the hole. It was dark down there, too dark. He guessed that because it went down so deep. He was grateful that he didn't burn up because of gravity, (another doing of the Dark Man) and just held his breath. Could you breathe down there??? He hoped so. Pretty soon, the tunnel became less dark, and lighter. The tunnel was coming to a stop. He dug into the dirt, trying to stop from going any further. No luck. He started to slide, the dirt creeping into his manicured fingernails. He crashed into the dirty floor. When he looked up, he could see he was surrounded by a dozen of fairies. He noticed one was Holly. He noticed several fairies had guns pointed at his head. He held out his hands in a gesture of peace. "I'm here to help."  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's note: I really worked hard on this particular chapter, but when I finished it I realized reason for joining the fairies against the goblins was similar to Spider-Man's origin. UGH!  
  
Also, I haven't read the book in a while, so I'm not sure if it is possible for humans to travel underground. So, despite these two errors, what did you think? 


	5. A Slice of Fairy Life

4.  
  
A Slice of Fairy Life  
  
  
  
Two LEPrecon officers carried Artemis, despite his efforts to tell them he was here to help, away. He could easily throw them off (or maybe not. He beat Holly, but only when she had a trickle of magic left. These guys were running red hot) but he was here to help and kept silent.  
  
Artemis was brought into the LEPrecon main office. Sitting a desk was Julius Root. This was odd. Wasn't he just head of a particular division?  
  
"How'd you-"  
  
"I got promoted." He said flatly.  
  
"Now what's this of trying to help with the recent goblin outbreak? Holly here," He gestured to Holly, who was standing in a nearby corner, "says when she tried apprehending one, she called to you for help, and you just ignored her. Is this true?"  
  
"Yessir."  
  
"And when the goblin was less than a foot away from you, you just let him go."  
  
"Yessir."  
  
"And when she asked why you didn't easily stop it, you laughed in her face. Is this true?"  
  
"Yessir."  
  
"Then why, pray tell me, do you want to help us now, the same people who you stole half of 30 million dollars worth of gold from?"  
  
Artemis took a deep breath.  
  
"The goblin I failed to stop earlier broke in my house and killed my mother."  
  
He didn't sob or cry, but his face was a ghastly pale, and his hands were shaking. Root looked shocked, as did Holly.  
  
"I've never heard of goblins venturing above ground to commit murder." Said Root. Holly laughed bitterly.  
  
"That's because no supernatural weirdo manipulated them before." Seeing Artemis's surprised looks, she said,  
  
"A big rumor going on down here is some sort of "Dark Man" let the goblins escape. I personally thought it was all BS but I saw him in conversation with a goblin. Even with my shield on, he could sense me."  
  
Butler drove home to his house.  
  
"Oh my god." The house was surrounded by yellow tape, with the words CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION written on them (and trust me, they used a lot of tape.) Several police officers were jotting down on notepads, and a metal gurney with a body hidden by straps and leather was being rolled away. He knew what happened. Angeline Fowl was dead.  
  
He brushed past several cops.  
  
"Artemis? ARTEMIS! Where are you?" The house was empty. A light breeze billowed from the window. There was a note lying on the table. He got it and read with trembling hands.  
  
Dear Butler,  
  
Something horrible has happened, and if the law enforcement are doing their job, you should know what happened. Her death (He never referred to her as Angeline Fowl, as he was writing in a rush) was avenged, and the killer is dead. However, I could have stopped it. I need to make amends with old enemies and help out, as I bet this could happen again. Please do not come.  
  
~A.F. Jr  
  
Butler crinkled the note softly, and threw it out.  
  
Root sighed. He didn't know if he was faking or not. Then again, this guy was pale and shaking. Root put his head in his hands. He was going to regret this. He knew it. Without looking up, he said; "Holly?" "Yes?" Until Artemis wishes to leave, he can stay. Holly, if you would be so kind, please give let Artemis stay at your place until this goblin problem is cleared-" "What?! Don't you remember the distress he put me through? How he held me-" "He can't escape with all the agents." Holly opened her mouth, but Root held up his hand. Fuming, Holly led Artemis to her home.  
  
Foaly, who was also nearby, spoke. "Is this your punishment to Holly for messing up your computer?" "Shaddup."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Holly was leading Artemis to her house. They were both silent for a moment. Artemis spoke. "So." "So." Artemis cleared his throat, and his normally pale cheeks were a deep red. "Er--sorry about the, er, um, kidnapping thing and all, I wasn't thinking--" "That was obvious." "But--" Holly turned around. "Listen, Artemis. Mud people greed is very great, or we wouldn't be driven underground. You acted natural. At least you turned yourself around before you went on the Most Wanted list." "You mean you're not mad?" "Listen, kid. You drugged me with a hypodermic needle. You held me hostage and played games with my mind. Just be grateful I don't want to blue-rinse you." They walked on, and got to Holly's house.  
  
The Next Day  
  
Artemis woke up, and sunlight streamed in. Then he realized it was a lamp. He was underground. He got up and saw a small note on the table.  
  
Left a nettle smoothie for you in the fridge for breakfast. Holly.  
  
Artemis had no idea what it was, but his mother and he liked sampling foreign delicacies, so he gulped it down.  
  
It was only when he swallowed, did he realize the taste.  
  
"GEEEAAAAAGH!" He screamed as it burned his tongue. He looked for a bathroom, and then he realized fairies don't keep bathrooms in their houses. Artemis tried finding a place to vomit, and ran outside. He went outside, and vomited on the rocky surface. He went back in clutching his stomach. He decided to get a job, so he could bye his own food.  
  
He staggered over to the table and looked through what he thought resembled the newspaper. It was written in Gnommish, but he knew that language and searched if there were any pages advertising jobs. On the fifth page, he noticed there were several columns advertising jobs. He read them aloud as he moved his finger down the lines. None of the jobs appealed to him, when he saw, in Gnommish, "Mud People Study Facility". "If you are willing to help us research on one of the most baffling creatures ever, then call!" Artemis read aloud. "Well, that's easy money."  
  
When he was walking to the place, he noticed how uneasy elves were around him. People pointed and whispered at him, and mothers pulled staring children away. It seems that although Root publicized that he turned over a new leaf, no one believed him that much. Artemis sighed and continued walking. He came upon a metallic door next to the rocky walls.  
  
"I guess this is the place" Artemis sighed, and opened the door. It was abuzz with fairies typing and sending memos. He was glad no one screamed "Look! It's that LEPrecon kidnapper I saw on the news or glared. He filled in an application form, and entered Holly's address. "Thank you, dear" Said the secretary without looking up (Artemis was secretly happy of this)"Come in tomorrow".  
  
Artemis walked back home. For once he felt in place in this strange world. For once, he was happy. His happiness slowly simmered away when a weary Holly came home.  
  
"How was your day?" She asked.  
  
"Good. I got a job."  
  
"That's nice. Today was especially fun for me (she said this with sarcasm.)  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"We found another goblin. No help, as he was insane. He was raving of some abbalah."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Butler sat on the couch staring blankly at the TV. Juliet just came home, and had no idea of Angeline Fowl's death. Juliet sat next to him, and turned on the TV to WOW (Women Of Wrestling).  
  
"Where's Artemis?"  
  
"He had an errand." He said blandly.  
  
Author's Note: Sorry if this part was too long! The scene with Holly, Root, and Artemis was longer than I planned. 


	6. Nightmares and Dreamscapes

5.  
  
Nightmares and Dreamscapes  
  
With apologies to Stephen King and the short story collection of the same name.  
  
  
  
That night no one slept well.  
  
Artemis was a bit uneasy of living with the fairies, those whom he swore war to only a short period before? Did they trust him? Holly had told him of a recent goblin outbreak, so maybe they were desperate for all the help they could get. In his dream, he saw two images wielded into one. One was when he saw Holly down by the lake. She had been chasing a renegade goblin, and had been temporarily wounded by one of its fire blasts. When she called out for him to help, he just laughed and watched with mild amusement as the fugitive ran off. Then, a short bit later, he saw the sprawled body of his mother on the bed, and the same goblin rummaging through her drawers. Then his dream took a different turn from memory. The goblin turned to face Artemis, and grinned. Artemis didn't move fast enough to jam something up his nose, and a fireball rammed right toward him, hitting him in the face. Artemis screamed, and slammed into the table. Vases shattered as he made contact. Through dying eyes, Artemis saw the fireball rise up and form the face of the Dark Man. The fireball-Dark Man grinned with a mouth of fire and laughed maniacally. Artemis tried to scream but all that came out of his mouth was a groan. Artemis woke up, panting heavily. He got off the collapsible bed/couch and went into the refrigerator. Nothing but the dreaded Nettle Smoothie. Blech.  
  
Holly also had a dream. In it, she had confronted the same insane goblin she saw earlier that day. His eyes were glazed over, and a thin line of drool hung from his lower lip. She shook him vigorously, but instead of chanting "Abbalah! Abbalah doon!" and other rubbish, he screamed; "Behind you! Behind you!" Holly dropped the goblin, where it disappeared in a thin layer of mist. She turned around. Several goblins, each with a crimson eye painted on their chest were running toward her. The room became a labyrinth as she ran the laughing goblins behind her. She came up to a solid wall and banged her fists on it, but to no avail. She turned around to see a fireball heading toward her chest. It hit her squarely, and she fell with a squeak. Strong hands lifted her up. The Dark Man, with his face hidden by a hood. "No." Moaned. A voice came out from the hood. "I don't take orders from anyone, especially you, Fairy." The hood pulled back, not revealing a demon from Hell, but a face she knew only too well. Artemis Fowl. She tried screaming but only choked moans came out. The Dark Man/Artemis laughed and laughed, only it sounded like screaming.  
  
Holly woke up, her hair clinging to her sweaty forehead. Was the dream prophetic? Did Artemis come not to help, but to cause more pain?  
  
Butler had no dreams that night. He just lay on the bed, staring blankly up at the wall, knowing somewhere Artemis was in danger. 


	7. Betrayal

6.  
  
Betrayal  
  
  
  
DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Although nothing really questionable happens in this chapter, some might be disturbed by the climax. You have been warned.  
  
The next morning, Artemis got up. Holly had already gone to work. He looked into the fridge. Nothing. Nothing edible, that is. The fridge was filled with strange delicacies, some which resembled things he didn't want to think about. He shut the door and sighed. Was venturing below with the fairies going to make up for his mother's death? He remembered another thing. As far as he was concerned, this Dark Man didn't send the goblin on the mission. Types like him were too sneaky, and sending an assassin above ground and causing a commotion was being the least sneaky. He remembered that Holly was chasing him, and the goblin probably got lost in the woods and stumbled into the house. It was all Holly's fault. He tried shaking the nasty thought away and stumbled into work. He hung his head low, so he wouldn't see all the faces staring at him.  
  
Holly was on patrol. Root trusted several officers of the LEPrecon to stop the Goblin Insurgence. It wasn't an insurgence yet, but Root claimed they were still planning. Except for the incident with Artemis's poor mother, no casualties had been reported. Still, better safe than sorry. So, Root had sent out Holly, along with several other officers, to find the majority of the goblins. He never mentioned the Dark Man. It was as if it was impossible to catch him, or maybe Root didn't believe in such hogwash. She didn't know.  
  
Juliet had recently learned of Angeline Fowl's death. They were both in a period of mourning, but Butler insisted not to have the funeral, until Artemis returned. He could imagine the look on Artemis's face when he found out that both his parents were gone. Then again, he might've already known. Juliet saw Butler put on a massive coat, and put several survival type items in a large bag. "Where are you going?" She asked. "I need to do some errands." He said gravely.  
  
The agents inspected every mining cave. Several dwarves shouted as they interrupted their work. Holly paid no heed as she pushed aside one particularly overweight goblin aside and looked inside the hole for any clues or suspicious holes. It was about a half-hour later when she ran into the goblin.  
  
No one really noticed Artemis as he sat down onto a seat about three sizes too small and began doing his work. "That must be easy work, being a human and all." Artemis jumped. He turned around. Sitting near the computer was a small male fairy, with a curly little goatee. He had glasses on and was balding. He wore a white labcoat. "Don't worry. I heard about your story in the papers. Redemption thing going on, right?" Artemis sniffed. "I'm just filling in a debt." "Yeah, okay. Name's Daniel. Pleased to meet you, Artemis." He held out his hand. Artemis shook it.  
  
The goblin that Holly encountered wasn't particularly threatening. It was actually a little pathetic. While the other goblins had body piercing, tattoos, and scars, this one was rather, well, plain. Its belly slouched a bit, and he had a pale look on him. He didn't look  
  
(appearances can be deceiving)  
  
that bad, thought Holly. "A-a-are you those officers?" It asked timidly. Several LEPrecon officers saw what was going on and walked over. "Yes, we are." Said Holly, trying not to sound intimidating, but not too soft. "I c- c-came to help you." "Really." Said a LEPrecon officer behind Holly. Holly mouthed 'shut up' and turned back to the goblin. "Y-y-you see, I had no choice but to work for Him." He stuttered. "H-h-he threatened most of the stragglers. One was driven insane-" Holly winced. "-and another tried stopping him. It wasn't pretty." Of course, thought Holly. The Dark Man was a sadist. He ruled with fear. Big-whoopin-surprise. "So, I decided to help. I know where most of their plannings go. He had it hidden from the naked eye, basically." Several officers muttered under their breaths. The LEPrecon officers followed the goblin down a mine range and a corner. On the sides of the walls, there were several rocks. The goblin gestured to a small rock sticking out. "P-p-pull it." Holly did. As if this was some mansion, the wall slid open revealing a crudely designed room. Several flat rocks formed a half circle around a large rock. This wasn't the hideout, but it was where the goblins had their meetings. "They meet here in 2 hours." Said the goblin. "When they find out what I've done, I'll be lucky to last another half hour." "IF they find out." Said an officer. "No word of this will come out. Not even to Root." "Y-y-you d-d-don't u-u- understand." Holly noticed he was stuttering worse than ever. "H-h-he k-k- knows if you go against him." Holly felt a pang of guilt. "Arrest them." Said the goblin in a clear voice. "I'll probably end up dead soon, at least I can take some of those freaks with me." Holly opened her mouth, but the goblin was gone.  
  
2 hours, 10 minutes, later.  
  
Holly and several other LEPrecon agents stood by the door. They pressed their ears against the wall. Holly could hear the goblins faintly muttering. She mouthed 'One. Two. Three!' She twisted the rock/knob and kicked the door open. The LEPrecon officers swarmed the place. "Put your hands up!" Said one burly officer. "Try producing a fireball and we will be forced to shoot!" The goblins' mouths were round 'o's of horror. "We weren't doin' nothin!" Protested a goblin, but he held his hands up like the rest. As the goblins were rounded up, Holly noticed a small packet of paper lying on the floor. She picked it up and looked at it. It was written in a very puzzling language.  
  
Holly showed it to Foaly. "Do you recognize the language?" She asked. "Nope. I'll run it through the translator. Where'd you get it?" "We busted a couple of goblins today," She said with a touch of pride. "Some traitor to their side told us where to find them." "Lucky."  
  
The goblin slowly creaked open the door. Once again, he was late. The room was almost empty. Most of the seats were empty, as few goblins did not attend the meeting in which the majority of the goblins were arrested. The Dark Man sat at the edge of the room. The Dark Man saw the goblin. "Ah, Kelister, it seems you are late again. Luckily, it seems you won't have to stand up, as most of our members are locked up." "Is t-t-t-that so, sir?" "Yes. And I have been puzzled. How would those LEPrecon agents know to twist one of millions of rocks on the wall?" "Lucky guess?" "I think not. Someone told them." "Really? Who?" "Oh, I think you know the answer to that one, Kelister." He turned to two of the remaining goblins. "Hold him." The goblins gripped Kelister and scrunched their eyes shut. They knew what would happen, as it had had happened before. Kelister, try as he might, could not close his eyes.  
  
  
  
The Dark Man pulled down his hood.  
  
  
  
Kelister screamed in horror. He could feel the darkness, the evil, consuming him. The goblins had no doubt heard the scream and scrunched their eyes tighter. One peeked an eye and fell to the floor, convulsing.  
  
The Dark Man pulled back his hood. The two goblins dropped the screaming goblin on the floor. "Now that we're done with that matter, let's get back on to more personal matters." 


	8. Butler

7.  
  
Butler  
  
  
  
He opened a small cabinet and rummaged through many items. "Ah-ha." He said triumphantly, and pulled out a small figure carved from wood. It resembled a man. A very big man.  
  
Butler didn't know how many days, weeks, or even months had passed since he had left Fowl Manor. He wondered how Juliet was taking care of herself with no one around. Still, Butler had one thing on his mind: To find Artemis. He was supposed to be Artemis's guardian, his Butler. If Artemis turned up dead, Butler would have been responsible.  
  
For some strange reason, Butler had decided to check out the woods a couple of miles from Fowl Manor. He was a bit uncomfortable that he was relying on a hunch, as he wasn't following any trail or footprints. It was starting to get windy, so Butler pulled over his coat.  
  
Holly Short had given the paper with the strange code on it to Foaly for translating, but she had looked over it first. Two words had popped up a lot, so she sketched it.  
  
The letters were images that were a rat, an ant, a nettle, a dagger, an ant, two lizards, a circle (most likely a space) a frog, a line, an ant, and two guns. Holly rubbed her head. None of these images made any sense. She would try again later.  
  
The wind was coming in full force, and the branch of a tree raked itself across Butler's cheek. The pain was enormous; it had cut to the bone. He winced and followed on when another branch raked Butler's jacket sleeve, shredding it. This was strange, as the wind had stopped. Butler saw a hole a couple of steps ahead and walked faster. Something in his head told him that finding Artemis had to do with the hole. Butler almost jogged, when something brittle and stiff wrapped around his leg.  
  
Holly asked Foaly if he had come close to cracking the code. He laughed, and said no. None of the letters matched any language on the computer. He guessed that the first letter of each image was that particular letter in the human language (In other words, a shape that looked like a tower would be T) and so on. The process might take several hours translating the language to human and then to Gnommish.  
  
Holly sat in her cubicle and put a pencil to her mouth. Foaly was just guessing, but maybe he was right. "A rat would be "R", and an ant should be "A", and--" She stopped and pocketed it.  
  
The Butler turned around, and if what he saw was on TV he would've laughed; a tree was gripping his leg. This, however, was no joke. Butler tried grabbing something from his sack, when the tree wrenched him upward holding him upside down. A fleet of birds flew out from a hole in the tree, cawing as their talons sank into Butler's chest. The blood was rushing to his head, and he was sure that any moment now his foot would snap. Butler swatted at the birds, and ended up with a clump of feathers. Each bird disappeared in a puff of smoke. If only the same could be said about the tree. It shook him upside down and all of Butler's loot began to tumble from his sack.  
  
"Where's da boss?" Wondered one goblin to another. "Ehhh, I dunno. He's been cooped up all day in his quarters. It'd be best not tah disturb him. He could get angry."  
  
As all his items fell onto the forest grounds, he noticed one item had not fall out. His Sig Sauer. He saw it fall, and Butler reached for it.  
  
The tree (if it was a tree) took no heed of the man when he took out his gun. It cocked and fired.  
  
Several bullets pounded into the tree. It let out a cry, which sounded more like the cracking of leaves on a cold fall day, and threw Butler off. Butler flew through the air, and went headfirst into his destination: the hole. As Butler flew faster and faster down the hole, he failed to brace himself for the impact and smashed headfirst into the underground floor.  
  
The Dark Man held the small, carved figure upside down to his face, when what felt like a barrage of tiny needles slammed into his chest. The Dark Man screamed and threw the figure across the room. It fell into a small hole in the floor.  
  
He went on his stomach, grimacing. He slowly stood up and watched the wounds slowly knot up, like a cut healing in fast motion. "Well, this cloak is ruined." He said bitterly.  
  
Slowly, the door creaked open and a goblin peeked his head in. "Are you okay, boss? We heard scre-" "Out, out, OUT!" He roared. 


	9. The Plot Thickens

8.  
  
The Plot Thickens  
  
  
  
Holly put the paper down. "So far I have 'Rand'." She said thoughtfully. "Maybe it's a slang for Wand? But its still part of one word, so its not finished." She put her head down. "How can Artemis translate the Book while I can't translate two words?"  
  
Perseverance and determination proved itself. Two hours later she had figured out the Dark Man's name.  
  
Today was a bad day for Artemis Fowl at work. Daniel wasn't there (he apparently had caught the flu) and he got the ILIKEYOUBUTIMAFRAIDTOSHOWMYFEELINGS virus which crashed his computer. He asked if he could borrow another computer, and they said no. An elf's computer got the same virus and he got another computer. Artemis wanted to report this rudeness but he decided not too. He left without getting his paycheck, which meant he couldn't buy edible foods but salvage the awful things at Holly's. "Today's a very bad day." Muttered Artemis as he took a shortcut through a large tunnel to get home. It was about to get worse. Very worse. He hoped that Butler didn't--  
  
"Artemis! Hey Artemis!" Holly's voice interrupted Artemis's bitter thoughts. "What?" He said surprised and a little cross. "I need to show you something," She said catching up to him. In her tiny hand she clutched an even tinier scrap of paper. Artemis was a little annoyed, because  
  
(its her fault mums died)  
  
she had startled him. "What?" He repeated. "Foaly let me copy down the paper that I found, and I noticed two words repeated a lot. I decided that-- " "Just tell me what you found!" He almost yelled. Holly cringed. "Geez, you're already sounding like your old self." "Just tell me." She opened her mouth to speak when  
  
*CLICK*  
  
"What was that?" Said Holly. "I don't have a clue." The air was filled with a dry whooshing sound. Artemis looked and saw something flying toward Holly and him. A dart. "Holly, duck!" It was too late. She tried vibrating really fast to dodge it but it seemed to be specially engineered and plunged itself into her neck. She clutched it and gasped. "Ra-ra-ra………" She groaned and slumped forward into Artemis's arms. Artemis took the dart out, and fingered it. Holly's blood was drying at the tip. "Oh no. Oh no. Oh no." Was she dead? Could it be possible? Could--  
  
"She's just been tranquilized, you nasty little rich boy."  
  
Out from the darkness stood a figure that had haunted Artemis's dreams but never his life. The Dark Man.  
  
darkness blackness silence  
  
Butler groggily opened his eyes. He had slammed headfirst into the ground, but nothing seemed broken. There was a dull pain in his head and his eyes could barely open. It took a lot of strength to do so. He slightly opened them and saw three silhouetted figures. Since he was lying down he had no idea how tall they were. One of them extended a finger and touched Butler's neck.  
  
"'e is alive. Should 'e carry him back?"  
  
"You do it, mate. Probably weighs three tons."  
  
"How'd a mud person get all da way down 'ere?"  
  
Butler groaned and sank back into  
  
darkness blackness silence  
  
Artemis stared at the long cloak of the person responsible for his mother's death.  
  
"What do you want, Dark Man?"  
  
"Oh god, don't call me by that silly name. It sounds like a conversation between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin." He tittered. "No, I prefer that we'd go along with more human terms. What do you say? The name's Randall Flagg. And you are Artemis Fowl who caused all this mayhem a short while ago. I can't believe that worthless excuse for a cop who's lying in your arms actually forgave you. But then again, I'm not her."  
  
"If you were going to tell me your name, why'd you stop her?"  
  
"Oh, dearie me. I didn't do it for myself; I did it for you. You do want some gold, if I am not mistaken."  
  
"I've got past--"  
  
"Sure you have. I believe you. But, what would you say if you could take her above the land and hold her for ransom? Get all the gold that you lost?"  
  
"The guards would catch me before I managed to get up."  
  
"Ah, but what if I could make it so that any fairy that is coming near you would remember a meeting, to feed his pet, or go to bed and retreat? And that they would pay TWICE the amount of ransom? And they wouldn't do anything like send a troll and nearly kill Butler?"  
  
"How do you know all this anyway?" The Dark Man, excuse me, Flagg held out his hand.  
  
"Shake the hand that trembled the world. And I will promise everything." You know those cartoons in which two specters sit on someone's shoulders? A devil, and an angel? That's what Artemis was feeling. One side urged him to join the Dark Man and get rich, and that it was so easy. The other said that the second he'd agreed, his soul would be damned.  
  
"Take your time, Arty. We have an eternity to wait." Artemis muttered something.  
  
"Come again?"  
  
"No."  
  
"No?"  
  
"No." Artemis said. Flagg noticed Holly again, and that Artemis was shaking. He had a plan.  
  
"You know, I rather think that dear mummy's death affected you. I mean, first you were a cold manipulative bastard who didn't mind causing torment to another living being if you got another penny in your already large bank account."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Now look at you. A soft little ninny with no backbone. My dear Arty, mind If I call you that? Arty, in the--"  
  
"SHUT UP, YOU BASTARD! YOU RUINED MY LIFE AND NOW YOU'LL PAY!" The Dark Man chuckled, and began speaking. Only it wasn't his voice. It was Holly's.  
  
"Oh no, Artemis! I thought you forgave me! I thought you changed!" Flagg/Holly's voice was that of torment, but his facial expression was of maniac joy. Artemis's face grew paler, if that was possible.  
  
"You tricked me."  
  
"YOU! Over there!" Several LEPrecon agents stood at the end of the tunnel. "FREEZE!" Their expression was that of baffled amazement. It must've looked weird. The Dark Man turned to Artemis.  
  
"Ah, the coppers. Aren't they precious, Arty?"  
  
"SHUT UP!" Howled Artemis. Flagg turned to the LEP and gave the raspberry.  
  
"Don't talk to me that way. You're under arrest for attempted kidnap of Cpt. Short--"  
  
"IT WAS HIM!" Said Artemis pointing to the Dark Man.  
  
"He's hallucinating," Said one officer to another. "No one's there.  
  
"Yes, my dear Arty. You're insane and you will be locked up forever and forever and………" Artemis realized what was going on. The Dark Man was only making him visible to Artemis. The officers believed that Artemis had tried to kidnap Holly. One of them wrenched her from Artemis and checked her pulse.  
  
"She's alive, breathing is alright."  
  
"Might need hospital care--" Artemis tried running when he felt cold metal handcuffs cuff his hands.  
  
"You're under arrest." He barked. "Everything you say or do will…….." Artemis didn't pay attention as he was being dragged away, nor when Holly was carted off to some hospital. It was only when the Dark Man pulled down his hood, did Artemis scream. It wasn't a demon, a clown, or even a goblin. It was his mother's doughy and burned face. It grinned at him and waved. Artemis screamed and pointed but no one saw that horrible thing except for him. 


	10. Explanation

Explanation  
  
  
  
Time to take break from the action and give credit where credit is due. Randall Flagg, the Dark Man is not my creation. This version maybe, but not Flagg himself. Stephen King created him.  
  
However, I take pride in my work. I have not been stealing storylines or scenes from King. If you look closely you might spot an inside joke here and there. Although I heavily recommend his work, you don't need to read Stephen King to understand my story. The story would work well if Flagg was called Demonius or Fred. But I'm a King Junkie, so he's called Flagg.  
  
If I am ripping off anything, it is the prophecies of Ohm. I thought it was appealing that a dark figure would come and the goblins would rebel. Someone wrote that this figure is Cudgeon. That person's claim sounds somewhat accurate. Also, Flagg isn't pretending to be good. So my story isn't as accurate as the prophecies foretell. So what? If Nostradamous (did I spell that right?) made a mistake then so can Ohm.  
  
I don't want people e-mailing me saying how it's a cheap shot that the main villain is from another author and an adult author at that. This wasn't some little ditty I proposed at the last minute. I had planned this even before I wrote the prologue. If you don't like it, fine. Read one of the endless numbers of Artemis/Holly fanfics instead.  
  
And more finally still, I would like to thank Stephen King for creating such a twisted villain, whom most villains pale in comparison.  
  
~CyberGhostface 


	11. Visiting Hours

9.  
  
Visiting Hours  
  
  
  
Holly woke up in a bed with a feeling of nausea in her stomach. Several fuzzy shapes were above her.  
  
"Uuugh………" She moaned. "Where am I?" Her vision cleared and saw Foaly standing over her.  
  
"You were tranquilized by someone that we thought we could trust." He didn't say whom, but she understood. Artemis Fowl.  
  
Butler also woke up on a bed. Er, make that plural. Several beds were pushed together to fit him. Groaning, he put a finger to his head and winced. A red splotch of blood was on his finger. He had also felt a bandage.  
  
"Hello? Is anyone here? Would someone kindly tell me where I am?" Butler heard footsteps slowly approach him. A trio of figures walked into the room.  
  
In his life, Butler had only seen one dwarf, a rather nasty one, by the name of Mulch Diggums. Mulch had no magic and Root had sent him to help find Holly in Fowl Manor, where she was being held captive. Butler had encountered this dwarf, and, to his horror, it defeated him by eating through the floor and spraying something in Butler's face that had reminded him of something else that disgusted him. Mulch may play a significant role in the Dark Man's plot, but only the three fates, Clothos, Lachesis, and Atropos know the answer.  
  
The dwarfs who had apparently nursed him back to health (He could bet that smashing his head on a solid ground required medical attention) looked calmer and set than Diggums. Two were tall (for a dwarf) and one was stout. He could guess that they were young. Not as young as Artemis , not as old as Angeline, but old enough to own a house.  
  
"Who are you?" Said Butler, the words sounding thick in his throat. "Are you miners, if I may ask?"  
  
"We're too young. Maybe next year." Said the short one.  
  
"Who are you, like I asked before?"  
  
The tallest and the oldest, (he was growing a small goatee) said "I'm Walter, and these are my brothers Charles and Jimbo."  
  
"Now, what I am I doing here?"  
  
"We found you." Piped Charles. "You fell from above, and you had a very nasty fall. We stopped the bleeding. How did a Mud Man like you get here?"  
  
"I fell from a hole."  
  
"A hole? In plain sight?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"The LEP only goes outside, sir. And they cover their tracks well. We thinks you been set up."  
  
"Set up? By who?"  
  
"Him. I will never say his name." Butler thought hard. Was the person they were afraid of involved with Master Fowl?  
  
"Can you draw a sketch? Here, I have a pencil and piece of paper." He handed it to Jimbo, who looked at it like was a candy. He was about to chomp on it. "You write with that." Walter took the paper and drew a crude sketch of a man wearing a long cloak. In the center of the cloak was a single red eye.  
  
"One more question; how did you know about this-this man on the sheet?" Jimbo and Charlie looked at each other a bit nervously.  
  
"Er-- we really shouldn't be talking. If anyone asks, you never saw us."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just promise." Butler looked at the trio, and got up, cringed at the pain in his head, and left. The wound was healing a little bit already, and he probably could walk out without his wounds opening.  
  
"Thanks for your hospitality, boys." He said and he exited.  
  
Holly rubbed head, as if she had a headache.  
  
"Try to remember, Holly." Said Foaly. "If you know anything, please tell--"  
  
Julius Root walked into the small hospital room.  
  
"We just questioned Mr. Fowl." He said. "I have to admit that I am a bit surprised. Usually that sucker likes to take credit for his work."  
  
"What do you mean?" Said Holly.  
  
"He claims that he was framed by some Dark Man." Holly opened her mouth, but he held up a hand to silence her. "Yes, I know you saw some man in a cloak who apparently harassed you. It was probably one of his goons setting you up." Before he left, he said, "Mark my words, Captain Short. If I let him go, every darn inmate in jail will say he was framed. Just let it go. You are apparently still suffering from the Stockholm syndrome." Foaly watched him leave.  
  
"Foaly?"  
  
"Uh-huh?"  
  
"Do you think he forgot or did he exclude the fact that this so called "Man in a cloak" could disable my shield?"  
  
"Well, when his mind is set on something, his mind is set on something."  
  
Many Weeks Later  
  
During Visiting Hours, Artemis saw two people. Or three people, if you wish to look at it that way. What do I mean by that? You'll find out yourself.  
  
Artemis paced back and forth in the single cell. He thought that not sharing it with some drunken dwarf would be nice. He was wrong, and he was lonely. He'd give anything for some conversation, even if the other person could only make out some slurs. Today was different.  
  
His first visitor was Daniel, the friend he'd made in his new job. Artemis was glad to see him, if not a trifle embarrassed. He had only met the fellow once, but Daniel was apparently a good soul.  
  
"Hello Artemis." He said quietly.  
  
"Er-- hi" Said Artemis, sounding a bit embarrassed.  
  
"So… No idea why He framed you, of all people?"  
  
"You believe me?"  
  
"Of course. I was sent to monitor you. I wanted to tell you now, before someone cannibalizes your trust for me."  
  
"You're a spy!"  
  
"Quite the opposite. If I did, I would know what you did with Holly when out of work. You see, Artemis. After your, er--, previous involvement with the LEP they thought it was too good to be true that you'd want to help them."  
  
"So they sent you to monitor me."  
  
"Yes. I am a member of the LEP. One thing I am trying to convince Root is that you never attempted to overpower Holly when you could've had an easier way out. Of course, when his mind is set, his mind is set. I am trying to convince him of your innocence."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"One reason why some members of the LEP take your claim a little serious is because of the recent apprehension of the rebelled goblins. They claim they saw the Dark Man. Of course, sometimes they weren't sane enough to claim anything. Be careful, Artemis."  
  
"I will."  
  
Artemis pressed his hands on the cool, rusty bars.  
  
"If only you could see now, Ma." He sighed.  
  
"Hey, kid. Ya gots a visitah." Yelled a guard, interrupting his thoughts.  
  
Artemis smelled something. It was a combination of the flowery smell that hangs around Holly…and the smell of burning meat, a smell that he had smelt before. The light footsteps became heavier, and Artemis could swear he heard the unmistakable swish of a cloak.  
  
"Hello, Arty. What a horrible mess you've got yourself into now." Artemis looked up and saw Flagg. Flagg held the keys lingeringly into Artemis's pale face. "I do not wish to believe that you have cancelled our contract. If you wish to be free, just say the magic words."  
  
"Shut up." Flagg cackled when he heard this.  
  
"Where's the old Fowl Charm? The trick when you emotionally scar your opponent? I daresay you've had enough practice with Cpt. Short." Flagg said with a sneer. "Now you're 10 notches below 'I don't like lollipops." Flagg laughed again. "Your story might be more convincing if you cared about people as much as you did about your precious pennies."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Is that the best you can come up with, you little ninny boy?" Sneered Flagg, putting his face right in front of Artemis. Artemis was enraged at practically everything, including the laughing demon in front of him. Artemis raised his fist and punched Flagg in the face. The outcome was not what he had expected, and the Dark Man was hurtled across the room, screaming a shrill cry.  
  
"You sound like a girl." Spat Artemis. Flagg got up, and sneered.  
  
"Not exactly in the old Heartless Top 10 yet, but you're getting there." Artemis was now extremely mad. Flagg was practically poking a sore with a stick.  
  
"What's the matter Arty? Is Arty gonna cwyyyyy? Poor wittle Arty. What's wrong, Artemis? Huh? What's wrong--  
  
--Artemis?" Asked Holly. Artemis blinked. Was he yelling at Holly, and not Flagg. Was it just his head? Artemis growled a little. Somehow the Dark Man  
  
(Flagg)  
  
was playing with his mind. Flagg had meant for Artemis to scream at Holly, to throw her across the room without knowing it.  
  
"Artemis?" Holly's voice repeated. She looked a bit shaken up, and tears were silently rolling down her cheeks. Her hand involuntarily gripped her laser. Artemis wanted to hug her, to tell her that he wasn't mad at her, that he never intended to hurt her. The steel bars blocked him.  
  
"No. I was just…just a bit shaken up."  
  
"O-o-oh. F-f-f-fine." She stuttered.  
  
She left him alone in the dark cell to contend with his inner demons-- and perhaps some real ones. 


	12. Escape

10.  
  
Escape  
  
  
  
"I think Artemis might be hallucinating," Said Holly. "He thought I was someone else and he…got upset." Holly Short was talking to Julius Root. She was trying to keep up with his pace, because he seemed in a hurry.  
  
"Heh. He's probably not to happy about being locked up miles below his cozy mansion."  
  
"Yes, but you do realize he never attempted to overpower me at my house. Plus, the spy you sent to watch over him said that Artemis didn't seem edgy. A little stiff, but--"  
  
"But what?" Said Root, walking a bit faster. "I never did trust him, and until I see living proof that this-this Dark Man even exists--"  
  
"If I may interrupt, you have been looking the other way while proof is dancing in front of you. The fact those goblins driven mad pop out of nowhere. The fact that he had the ability to disable my shield. The fact that he could make a key--"  
  
SLAP!  
  
Root's hand slapped Holly's face. Her head jerked back.  
  
"Don't you tell ME about looking the other way, girl. So far, no attacks have been made, and a sizable chunk of the escaped goblins have been brought back. Foaly is still cracking away at the code, but he's making fine progress."  
  
"Did he translate far enough to the point when you found his name?"  
  
"Whose name? What are you talking about?"  
  
"Randall Flagg. You might want do a search on your little database, because I have a feeling the reason why nothing serious has happened yet is because he is still planning." Root opened his mouth, but she was already around the corner and gone.  
  
Root shrugged his shoulders, and kept walking. Foaly had wanted to see him, and he couldn't deal with Cpt. Short's imaginary bogeyman. Do you hear yourself? Said a voice in the back of brain. She's one of your most important officers, and you're shunning her from your respect just because she's a bit worried about some rumor running around? Root couldn't shake this thought away, and his other thoughts beat it into submission.  
  
Artemis had some mild paranoia when trying to adapt to fairy life. He wanted to help with this whole Goblin mishap, but so far no opportunity had called him, and he had tried to live with the same people he robbed. He was slightly paranoid, as many fairies, LEP or not, had hated his guts. Now, in this cold damp jail cell, his paranoia had increased by 10. Prisoners sneered at him all the time, and some even spat in his face. One time, when one particularly nasty dwarf (Artemis later learned he had been arrested for vandalism) screamed at Artemis from his cell that it was his fault a lot of the inmates didn't get showers. He didn't say why, but Artemis knew. It was because Artemis had stolen a sizable chunk of the LEP's bank account. Was the LEP going to spend their remaining money on a group of criminals? Fat chance.  
  
Loneliness also plagued him. Daniel hadn't made any visits (and the fact that Daniel befriended Artemis just because he was assigned to spy on him hurt him a bit) nor had Holly. Artemis kept on telling himself that Holly had to deal with the goblin outbreak, but it was no use. He had attacked her, and she had kept her distance from him ever since. Just a coincidence.  
  
While Artemis was losing his 'calm and collected' touch-- and perhaps his sanity, Butler was trying to find Artemis. He walked slowly and ever so carefully, because his wounds could reopen anytime, against the walls of some tunnel. Butler heard footsteps and clutched his rifle. He was in enemy territory.  
  
"Stay calm, Butler." He told himself. "You handled a troll, you can handle this." Of course, he was nearly killed the first time, and if it weren't for Holly, there wouldn't be a rematch. Butler then saw a shadow come down at the edge of the tunnel. He gripped his Sig Sauer.  
  
"Who goes there?" He called.  
  
"Is that you, Butler?" Said a female voice. Butler recognized it to be Holly's.  
  
"Yes it is." Butler said. Holly walked down to him. She looked a bit different since he had last seen her. Her hair was a bit longer, and she looked more in control.  
  
"What are you doing here? And how did you get down here?" She asked a bit suspiciously.  
  
"I found a hole in the ground." Holly looked a bit uneasy at this.  
  
"Was it easy to find?"  
  
"Easy to find, yes. Not that easy to get into, as a tree tried to stop me." Holly looked a bit uneasier at this.  
  
"I can't believe all these holes are coming out. Artemis might've been lucky but--"  
  
"Artemis? He's here?"  
  
"Er--yes."  
  
"Where is he?" Said Butler a bit frantically. "I've been looking for him." Holly gulped.  
  
"In prison." Butler felt a large weight sink in his stomach. It would've happened sooner or later. Butler had hated to admit it, but Artemis was a criminal. He guessed that the LEP didn't go by the juvenile justice system.  
  
"Where is this prison?" Asked Butler. Holly told him the directions.  
  
"And his prison number?" Holly looked at Butler.  
  
"He's the only mud person there, he can't be hard to find. But, the number is--" She told him the number. Holly turned to leave when Butler asked what did Artemis do to get in jail. Holly looked a bit pale.  
  
"Er-- I need to go." Before he could answer, Holly was gone.  
  
At Foaly's computer system, Root asked the centaur what was so important that he needed to see him right now.  
  
"You remember our little buddy, Mulch Diggums?" Asked Foaly.  
  
"Of course," Scoffed Root. "He wasn't that hard to miss." Mulch Diggums was a mining dwarf with no magic who was currently in jail when he was assigned to find Holly in Fowl Manor, where she was being held captive. Mulch had proved that she was alive, but later died from a cave-in.  
  
"It turns it he is not dead, and living under the name Mortimer Dorrance in Romania. I did a little search on the database, and--"  
  
"Who cares about Mulch right now? Is he planning an attack on the People?"  
  
"Well, no."  
  
"I have bigger things to find now, not some escaped convict in another country." Root was about to leave when another thing popped up in his mind. Turning to Foaly, he said, "Research another name on your database. Randall Flagg."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Just do it!"  
  
"Yes, master." Foaly said sarcastically.  
  
Artemis was dreaming. In it, a beautiful flower stood in the middle of a field. It was almost to the point of wilting, however. Two men were arguing. One wanted to chop it off, as it was no good. Another said to try watering it again, maybe it could change. Then one of them said "Hey, kid! Wake up!"  
  
Artemis rubbed his eyes. He was lying on his cot, and he had a dream. Something about a flower. It was far too 'sweet' for his liking, but he was puzzled. What had it meant?  
  
"Hey, kid! Wake up!" Said a voice. It was the voice from his dream.  
  
"I am up." Said Artemis turning around. Several LEPrecons, who were heavily armed, were behind the bars. "Don't you have any respect for someone trying to catch some sleep, officers?" One of the officers looked at him with disgust.  
  
"Get over here." Artemis normally would've said no, but he calmly walked over. One of the LEPrecons ripped open the door, two others wrenched him out.  
  
"Am I free to go?" Asked Artemis. He then felt the cold metal of a gun's barrel placed against his head.  
  
"Don't you move. Our boss wants to see you personally."  
  
"Oh, you mean Root? Hmm, I wonder why he couldn't walk over here himself. It would probably be an exercise for someone like him."  
  
"Oh, so you're a wiseass, aye?" Snarled the soldier that was pointing the gun.  
  
"Yes, and proud of it." Artemis knocked the LEPrecon aside. The gun flew from his hands, but one thing surprised Artemis. The second the gun got loose from his hands, it disappeared. It didn't fade it just, well left normal sight. That's when Artemis noticed that these guns weren't real. Artemis knocked the gun from another one's hand. It dissipated the second it fell from the hand. Imitating a move he had seen Butler do, he did one kick that rotated in a circle. Artemis was not used to this, and although his intelligence was a 20 on a 1-10 scale, his martial art techniques were not. Artemis lost his balance and toppled over. He landed on top of a LEPrecon, and the helmet flew off revealing a goblin's head.  
  
"Geroff me!" It cried, and bit Artemis on the hand. Artemis cried out in pain, and held his hand to his face. It was swollen. Artemis did one swift punch, and the goblin was knocked out. More goblins/soldiers descended upon the boy, and Artemis ran into the cell. The goblins grinned; Artemis had been cornered. Or so they thought. Artemis ran out before the goblins could administer that they had been tricked. He slammed the door shut, and took a stick from the floor. He jammed it into the lock, jamming it. Artemis grinned in triumph, and then it hit him. There was no way that the goblins could make Artemis believe that they had artillery.  
  
He had lashed out at the Dark Man, only for him to realize it had been Holly.  
  
The Dark Man must've been nearby. Was that he, the shape in the shadows? Would he the unmistakable sound of a swish of a cloak. Would he see that horrible face, hidden by the hood? Artemis didn't want to find out. He ran out, while the goblins pleaded for him to give them a break, that the boss would be mad. Very mad.  
  
The silhouetted shape materialized from the shadows. The goblins realized it, and warded off their hands in pleading gestures, but it still advanced.  
  
A half hour later  
  
Butler was glad that none of the inmates (or security guards, for that matter) were awake. Most of them were snoozing. Butler stole what resembled a key from a large burly dwarf who was apparently the security guard. Butler did not notice they had all been drugged that they would be knocked out for a large number of hours. They would be awake soon, remembering nothing of the previous day.  
  
Butler held the key in his hand.  
  
"Coming Artemis," He muttered under his breath. He walked toward the cell that Holly had told him to find. He fumbled for the key, when he realized he didn't have to. The cell was empty, and the door swung back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. 


	13. Family

11.  
  
Family  
  
  
  
Root did not believe in any Dark Man, no sir. Had someone spotted Holly with her shield on? Probably not. She had made a noise, or perhaps stepped on a stick and it snapped. A mere adolescent stealing a sizable chunk of their gold was stretching it, (it had happened, however) but some wizard letting all of the goblins out without being detected by security? Impossible!  
  
So when Foaly found out something was feeding the security system a loop, Root went down to check the jail cells and found Artemis's jail cell empty, why did he believe for a split second that something odd was going on?  
  
No.  
  
Of course not.  
  
Root sneered at the empty cell, and walked over to the security guard. Snoozing on the job. "Get up, you lazy piece of scum."  
  
No answer.  
  
"I SAID, get up!"  
  
Silence.  
  
Root shook the guard several times.  
  
Quiet.  
  
Root then realized the security guard was drugged. Root felt angrier than scared. Artemis had drugged the guard somehow, in his cell, before escaping. It was somewhat hard to believe, but beliefs weren't an issue. Root walked into the cell, and pounded his head against the wall, silently swearing. The jail door slammed shut.  
  
"What the--" Root yanked at the door, but it was locked. He knew he was going to regret this, but he called Holly over. She came in less than a minute, as if she had planned to visit the cells before Root called.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Don't you 'yes' me, Captain Short. Get me out of here!" Holly didn't laugh, or didn't ask why he found himself locked in Artemis's cell. She simply nodded and walked over to the drugged guard. She took the key, and twisted it in the lock.  
  
"Artemis has escaped," He said when he left the cell. "Do you know he managed to get out?" She shook her head.  
  
"I came down to visit him, sir." She said. Somehow, this did not surprise Root.  
  
"Very well." He said a bit exasperated. "You may go."  
  
Holly opened the door to her house. She took out her gun and placed it on table near her bed. Being as fairies didn't have bathrooms in their homes, she walked outside to brush her teeth, and left the door open.  
  
In the bathroom, she stared at her reflection. She noticed bags under her eyes. Yes, most likely because she hadn't had much sleep lately. None of the LEPrecons did, lately. Her hair was also somewhat messy. If Butler had saw just then, he would've said that her hair was somewhat like an insane maitre de. Holly took out a strange contraption that resembled a comb and combed her hair. She brushed her teeth, and got back to her house.  
  
She opened her door (Hadn't she left it open? She couldn't remember) and walked inside. She got inside, and went to bed. Before she shut the light off, she noticed that her gun was missing. Holly slapped herself. Of course, something would happen like this if she left her door--  
  
Wait. Then why was the door closed when she came back in? Holly turned around. "Well that's str-- MMMPH!" A hand closed around her mouth.  
  
"Don't scream, and I'll let you go." Said a voice behind her.  
  
Holly nodded.  
  
The hand let go, and Holly turned around. "Artemis?" She said to the dark figure. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Don't play dumb," He snapped, sounding a bit more like his regular self. "You know perfectly why I'm here."  
  
Holly nodded. He had escaped, and headed for the only place where someone would not call the LEP.  
  
"Listen, Holly. I need your help."  
  
While Artemis asked for Holly's assistance, Butler put his back against the wall, and slid. He was less visible in the shadows, but if someone paid attention, they would notice that large shape on the wall wasn't a rock. He heard some footsteps. Butler guessed that this time it wouldn't be Holly, and tried to hide somewhere. But where?  
  
Butler saw something off in the distance, and couldn't believe his luck. Was that a warehouse? He didn't see any sign of people there, so he guessed he would be safe. Butler ran fast into the warehouse. It was dark inside, and Butler could vaguely see items hidden by the shadows. Several pieces of furniture. A couch. Other stuff littered the floor. Butler guessed that no one had used this place in years.  
  
"Perfect." Said Butler. "Just perfect."  
  
Holly crossed the room. "How am I supposed to hide you? What if someone comes in and stumbles upon you? We both could get in serious trouble."  
  
"With your technology, you could make me invisible." Artemis said.  
  
"You don't have a drop of magic in your veins, Artemis. Holly replied. "Its impossible for you to turn invisible." She turned away. "This is a crazy idea, but it might work. I never tried it before."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I can turn invisible," She said. "And maybe if you hold on to my hand or something you can blend in."  
  
"Is that it?"  
  
"Of course, if your hand loses its grasp on my hand, or shoulder you will become visible. Most likely you would be spotted."  
  
"That won't pose a problem."  
  
Holly looked at him. "And if you get any ideas…"  
  
Artemis looked angry. "Oh, is this what its all about? The kidnapping?"  
  
"You act like its nothing, Artemis. I haven't--" She began, and stopped. She looked out a window, and turned around. She mouthed something at Artemis.  
  
What? He mouthed.  
  
"Hide." She hissed, and the door opened.  
  
Artemis looked quickly for a place to hide, but no spot was big enough. He muttered something under his breath and said a rude name for someone small in height.  
  
Artemis heard Holly say "Root! What brings you here?"  
  
"I meant to ask you this before, Cpt. Short. Do you have any idea where Mr. Fowl could be hiding? Any secret places he found during his time here?" Holly shook her head. No.  
  
Root stared at her as if she was hiding something. Which, of course, she was.  
  
"Very well. Your shift starts in an hour."  
  
"Thank you, sir." Holly responded.  
  
Artemis got tangled inside Holly's closet. Like he was in one of those old silent comedies, he fumbled madly trying to untangle himself, and not to make any noise. Artemis smashed his toe into the metal contraption that held her clothes. Stifling a yell, he bit his finger so he wouldn't scream.  
  
Butler had taught him this trick. In a war if you were hiding from the enemy and they were prodding areas with sharp objects, and it hit you, you would bite down on your finger so you would not give yourself away. Butler had showed him his pointer finger, and Artemis saw teeth marks on it.  
  
Artemis let loose his finger and opened the door. He tripped on something long, smooth and metallic. Stumbling, he fell face first onto the floor. That was it. His cover was blown. And Artemis Fowl, who was perfect in every way, had tripped inside a fairy's closet. How humiliating.  
  
Root turned to leave when he heard a crash. He turned around and saw Artemis lying on the ground. Holly had noticed this too, enabled her shield and grabbed Artemis. The two disappeared.  
  
Root stared in disbelief and anger. His own officer! His own officer had held an escaped convict in his home! He also felt crushed, that she would betray him like this. Root took out his gun as he saw the door open.  
  
"Stop right there!" He said, pointing his gun, as it seemed to onlookers, at no one. They pointed and stared. Root, however, had not noticed this. Thinking fast, he took out a sizable can of a red liquid. This had never happened to him, but in a chase like this it would be the only way to see the convict. He flung the jar. Red goo splashed out.  
  
Holly felt something sticky and wet splatter across her back. She had done this before to other criminals, and knew that Root hadn't given up. Of course. He never gave up. "I can't believe this!" She spat at Artemis. "I'm going to be arrested by my own boss!"  
  
"Well, for our species, 100 years isn't considered a light sentence!"  
  
"Oh, is this my fault? You're the one who broke inside my house!"  
  
Root aimed the gun. As soon as he brought it out he took it back in. There was too much of a chance that he would hit Holly.  
  
"Look!" Said Artemis, pointing to a nearby warehouse. "We can hide there!" Holly wanted to ask him if he noticed they were somewhat visible, but she nodded and ran inside, Artemis trying to keep up and not fall away.  
  
They could vaguely see items hidden by the shadows. Several pieces of furniture. A couch. Other stuff littered the floor. Artemis guessed that no one had used this place in years.  
  
Root saw what looked like a floating red smear run into the warehouse. Root didn't want to get Holly in trouble, as he had a soft spot for her. But not for Artemis. Certainly not for him.  
  
Root guessed that they thought they were hidden safely, so he slowed down to catch his breath. He walked into the room.  
  
"Captain Short!" He barked. "What you have committed is a serious crime. As for you, you stinking mud man, what you have committed…that goes beyond normal regulations."  
  
Silence.  
  
Root groped for a light, and flipped a switch. A dim light flickered to life. As soon as his eyes adjusted, he gave a small sound. A gasp. Artemis and Holly were at the corner. They had their shields off, but that wasn't what surprised him.  
  
In the center of the room, sitting lazily on the couch, was a tall figure in a dark robe. This, Root thought, could only be the Dark Man. What had Holly called him? Russell Faraday? Richard Fannin? It didn't matter now. Nothing seemed to matter.  
  
"Well, here we all are!" Grinned the figure on the couch. "Like one big, happy family!" 


	14. Interludes

12.  
  
Interludes  
  
  
  
Juliet, for once in her relatively short life, had the entire Fowl Manor to her self. And for once in her relatively short life, she didn't want to have it to herself. Mrs. Fowl was dead, Artemis had run off to who knows where, and Butler had begun his little search party for him. Both could be dead.  
  
Glancing out the window, she noticed drops of rain splat themselves against the window, like doomed men jumping from buildings. She wanted to go out, but with no one to watch over the house (and no one to activate anyone with enough time the land mines, she thought bitterly) anyone with a hammer or some special device could get in. So, she thought it was her responsibility to watch over the house.  
  
The Fowl Manor was no longer a mansion, but a prison.  
  
"Mortimer Dorrance" also had an entire mansion to himself, in Romania. He looked at his large surroundings with pride. Yep, all this work had finally paid off.  
  
Except it's not really work, is it Mulch? Breathed a nasty voice in his head. You stole that money, you greedy little son of a--  
  
Mulch shook the thought away. Those people had deserved it. Locking him in jail for most of his life…pitting him against that brute…etceteras, etceteras.  
  
At least they gave you a grudging form of respect, replied the nasty voice. People befriend you now because of your over inflated bank account. They think of you as an easy way to get money. And you know what, Mulch? You know another man who stole that lived in Romania and couldn't stand light? Dracula. Remember that, Mulch? Remember that book you stole? How you are Dracula, a little midget Dracula, but still Dracula?  
  
"Shut up!" Yelled Mulch, his voice echoing in the large mansion. Mulch got up from his fine chair and blew out the fire. He never got too close to it, as fire is dangerous to Dwarfs.  
  
The room darkened significantly. Mulch was always a bit cautious when the house was dark. The house was so big, so large, that it made an ideal hiding place for anyone. Mulch walked up the wooden staircase and got ready for bed.  
  
Before Mulch went to bed, he thought he saw a cloaked figure from the edge of his eye. He turned the light on.  
  
It was a statue of a hooded goddess. Mulch breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
Mulch shut the light off and turned over on his stomach. The statue looked too much like a cloaked figure to him. Too much by far. 


	15. Unlucky Friday

13.  
  
Unlucky Friday  
  
  
  
Artemis was never a bit of a superstitious type. Yet the fact that he was viewing the man (Was it man?) that was responsible for his mother's death and his framing on Friday the 13th on the human calendar might have been too much of a coincidence.  
  
Root couldn't speak. What he thought was a mere myth, something silly that Holly believed in, was sitting on a beat up couch a few feet away from him. Artemis didn't say anything on Root's mistake-- as he usually would've done-- but he was glad he didn't. It would've distracted him.  
  
The man on the couch got up. A hood obscured his face as usual, one could only see the faint outline of his mouth and sometimes his eyes. His hands stuck out from the sleeves of the robe. They looked wooden, gnarled and jagged. It was as if some not-so-skilled carver had carved them out of wood. Or, if he were some humanoid tree with branches for arms.  
  
"Hello, Julius." He bowed. "I believe this is the first time we have met."  
  
Root stammered.  
  
"Oh, no hard feelings on putting some of my goblin soldiers behind bars. They were useless, and had lost their value. You wouldn't think that you apprehended my men if I didn't wish it? Well, except for that one occasion…but he was dealt with." He gave a laugh that sounded as wooden as his hands.  
  
Holly felt a pang of sadness. That poor goblin that had tried to help them…at least he took some others with him.  
  
The Dark Man turned to face Artemis. He had his back faced to Root and Holly. "Ah, so we finally see each other. Congratulations on your escape, by the way. I prefer you not to rot in that cell. No, I think quick and easy is the way to go." One of his gnarled fingers stroked the flesh under Artemis's neck. The skin cracked open and a small trickle of blood flowed out, stinging the wound.  
  
Root grabbed the gun from his holster and cocked it.  
  
"Wait, sir." Pleaded Holly. "Its no use. You might--"  
  
"Be quiet." Root snapped. He pulled the trigger, and a violet stream of light emitted from the barrel. The light struck the Dark Man. He  
  
(?it?)  
  
let out a screech of pain and anger as the light went right through him, blasting a large hole in the center of his chest. A faint cloud of sawdust surrounded his abdomen area for a small amount of time after the blast.  
  
Root triumphantly put the gun back. Turning to Holly, he said "See? He's--"  
  
The Dark Man turned around to face the two. Like a monster from the old b-movie flicks, he just wouldn't be put down. His hood was pulled back, revealing what resembled a crudely chiseled head made out of wood. Small leaves grew from his earlobes, and his teeth were small chunks of wood. The gaping wound in his chest was reforming itself. He sneered at them, and turned back to Artemis who had slouched down to the floor.  
  
"What's the matter, you nasty little rich boy? No witty comebacks? None of the Fowl genius?" He snarled. He grabbed Artemis by the throat and pushed him up against the wall. Artemis tried prying his hands against the vise-like claws.  
  
As much as the torment he had put her through, as much as she still hadn't completely forgiven him for what he did, Holly didn't want him to see him die. She was done through the phase. She leaped on the tree-man's shoulders, trying to make him lose balance. No luck. The demon's hand turned to soft flesh instead of sharp wood for one split moment as he shoved her off balance. The hand then turned back to wood and continued his grip on Artemis.  
  
Before Artemis, Holly, and Root had come inside, and even before the Dark Man appeared, Butler was in the abandoned warehouse. The wall was made of cheap wood, and he had easily broken through. He crawled inside. No one would be able to spot him. This was the plan.  
  
You cannot imagine his surprise when he saw Holly and Artemis rush inside, nor when the cloaked figure materialized on the beat up couch. When the demon gripped his master by the throat, every cell in his body screamed at him to go out. He, however, still held his ground. If that thing saw the large Eurasian man lumber down toward him, it would tear Artemis's throat out.  
  
But when it survived Root's blast, Butler saw the face, and bit down from screaming. It was the tree. The living tree. The possessed tree. The tree that had claw-like branches that turned him upside down and all the blood rushed to his--  
  
Stop it!  
  
Butler relaxed for one moment, until the claw-- the same claw that had turned him upside down-- gripped Artemis's throat. Butler kicked his foot out at the cheap wall. It splintered. Luckily it didn't hear it, as it kept its attention on Artemis.  
  
"Do you like this?" Spat the tree-demon in front of him. "Do you like this, you nasty little rich boy?" With delicacy, it popped off each of Artemis's buttons. They clattered to the floor with a hollow plastic sound. Artemis's shirt opened up, revealing his pale chest.  
  
Randall Flagg grinned. He put a talon on the boy's chest and brought it down. Blood gushed from the wound. The boy cringed in pain. Sweat drops popped out on his forehead. He wasn't going to show pain. He wasn't going to please this maniac.  
  
"Stop it!" Cried Holly. "You're killing him!"  
  
Flagg turned to her. "What do you think I'm doing, girl?"  
  
Holly raised her gun again, but Root pushed it down. "Its no use. It has no effect."  
  
The pain in Artemis's chest was white agony. The blood stood out in alarming brightness in contrast to the pale chest.  
  
Flagg felt two large hands grip his back. They threw him at the wall, but Flagg stopped right before he hit it with an impact. Turning around, he spotted the tall gorilla man whom he had tried to kill earlier. Somehow, he had anticipated this. Why else would he take the form of a tree?  
  
"Ah." Said Flagg. "The nasty little rich boy's pet gorilla." Butler didn't respond, but gripped the demon by the throat.  
  
"Stay away from him." Butler growled. "Or I'll snap your neck into wood splinters."  
  
Flagg grinned. "You? Not likely." With that, he pulled Butler by the shirt and threw him into the wall. Butler smashed headfirst, and fragments of the wall flew off. Flagg kicked at the giant manservant's prone form and walked toward Artemis. Artemis was lying in small pool of blood, while Holly was about to administer some healing magic.  
  
"Not so fast, sweetheart." Holly didn't even turn to the sound of Flagg's voice. But when she laid her hand on Artemis's chest nothing but a blue spark emitted from her fingertip. Root saw what happened and went forward.  
  
"You too, chubby." Root sank back, defeated. Holly ripped off the sleeve of her shirt and wrapped it around Artemis's chest, trying to make a tourniquet.  
  
"You know, Artemis. You're better off this way, than with what's coming up."  
  
Before Holly could ask what he meant (as if he would answer) he crumpled to the floor. Root ran over and picked the slumped figure by the neck of the robe.  
  
Holly, who was cradling Artemis's head in her lap, turned to Root. "What is it?" she asked. Root shook out, and tiny pieces of wood fell out.  
  
"It's a bag of sticks." He said flatly, and Holly began to sob.  
  
  
  
Juliet was once again staring out the window, watching drops of water splat against the smooth glass. All of a sudden, she heard footsteps behind her.  
  
"Butler?" She said. "Is that you?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Hello?" She said, turning around. When she saw what was behind her--  
  
Outside, the rainfall began to turn into a storm 


	16. Dreamworld: 1 Artemis

14.  
  
Dreamworld: 1 (Artemis)  
  
  
  
Artemis woke up to find him plummeting in a dark place. A black sky surrounded him, and several stars surrounded him. He was in space. There seemed not to be any land to land on. Artemis was surprised he didn't die from lack of oxygen, he wasn't sure if he was already dead. Before blacking out, he had felt extreme pain to the chest. And a voice asking him if he liked it, and that laughter. And Butler. Butler being thrown into the wall, like a doll that--  
  
Thud.  
  
Artemis landed on what felt like something smooth me but looked like…nothing. He was standing on…nothing. He could've been standing on thin air.  
  
Artemis got up, and looked ahead. Looking down gave him a grave sense of vertigo. He kept on walking, but not to any particular destination. Was he in space? Was he transported to some alternate dimension? These thoughts kept on popping up.  
  
In what was probably 20 minutes but felt like an hour, Artemis saw someone in the distance. It was a robed person, too small to be the Dark Man, next to a rather large cauldron. He, too, was standing on what seemed like nothing. Artemis cautiously approached the figure. When Artemis was in speaking distance, he opened his mouth, the figure raised his hand to silence him. He took out a mug and handed it to Artemis.  
  
"You are thirsty. Drink."  
  
Artemis gladly did so, as he was very thirsty. He drank so fast he did not taste it until it was swallowed. When he adjusted, the bitter taste rushed back toward him. The nettle smoothie. Artemis began gagging, and felt a wave of nausea. He grabbed the cauldron and vomited.  
  
Five minutes passed. When Artemis finally pulled his head back (that dreaded after taste still lingered in the back of his throat) he turned to the small figure. He could see the face now; it was an elf. Its eyes were old and sad, and he had a long beard.  
  
"Why'd you give me that dis-" He stopped. He was being rude, as elves liked the stuff. Holly had drank it when she was late for work.  
  
"I know how it causes you emit phlegm. I apologize."  
  
"Then why did yo-"  
  
"Look."  
  
Acting against his better judgement, he looked.  
  
Instead of seeing chunks of regurgitated food, he saw a swirling pool of a white liquid. He was instantly mystified.  
  
It began to swirl, and then settled. In it, was a shape that Artemis had recognized from his dream, the one he had in jail. Was it about a flower? Or a tree? He couldn't remember. What he saw was two men arguing over a  
  
(plant? tree? )  
  
that had a nasty look to it. One insisted that it had no hope, and should be chopped off. The other said it was still young and could be fixed with water and care.  
  
Artemis stared at the elf. "I don't' get it."  
  
The two began bickering in the pot when the water swirled again. This time, it was a grimmer vision. Artemis recognized it as the place where he kept Holly captive. There was Holly herself, sitting on the bench, her face hidden by her hands. Artemis felt a pang of guilt, but kept on looking. The door in the vision opened, and footsteps walked in. It was that time when Artemis had taunted her. He felt sick.  
  
"I don't want to see any more."  
  
"Look."  
  
Artemis did. Holly lifted up her face, revealing…Juliet?!? What was she doing in the cell? The person who had walked into the room had walked closer to Juliet, making him more in view. It was Him.  
  
"No!" Artemis cried and pushed the cauldron down. "No! No! No!" The cauldron began to fall into space, as if there was no 'floor' to begin with. Artemis looked up and noticed that the old elf was gone.  
  
He was alone.  
  
Alone in space.  
  
Artemis looked down, and like those cartoons in which the character walks off a cliff and walk on thin air, only to fall when they looked down, Artemis plummeted. There was no invisible wall to support him and Artemis cried out as he was plummeting through nowhere.  
  
Artemis thrust up from the bed with a yell. He was shirtless, and his wound was wrapped up in bandages. He was covered in sweat. "Where's Juliet?" He cried. "I need to talk to her."  
  
Holly, who was sitting in a chair near his bed, said, "She's up above us, Artemis. That is, unless she dropped down in some random hole into here." Artemis couldn't miss the sarcasm in her voice.  
  
"By the way," she said. "Did you have a bad dream? You were shaking all over in bed."  
  
"Would you happen to know of, er, any people telling futures in, ah, vomit?" He was worried that she would laugh (not that he WAS worried…the real Artemis would never worry about something like THAT, he told himself).  
  
"Yes. His name was Ohm. He wrote some prophecies foretelling the future. We found one manuscript telling about you--"  
  
"Me?"  
  
"--and Butler. Of course, we found it a bit too late." She gave a bitter laugh. "The rest was something I didn't worry much about…we should have." She turned to leave.  
  
"Holly?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How come you were able to forgive me?"  
  
Holly looked a bit uneasy. "Artemis, don't take offense, I haven't fully forgiven you."  
  
"But you let me stay at your house, didn't you?"  
  
"Artemis," Said Holly with a little more anger in her voice than she wanted to come out, "That was Root's decision. Not mine." With that, she left, leaving Artemis alone on the bed. Although he had no idea what the first vision meant, he hoped to God the second was just a delusion. 


	17. Juliet

15.  
  
Juliet  
  
  
  
Juliet briefly stirred in her sleep. Someone was urging her to wake up. Juliet lifted her head up briefly.  
  
"A coupl' more minutes…" She moaned, and put her head down back to her resting spot. "Ow."  
  
"Hard cement is pretty to hard rest one's head on, my dear." Said a voice up above her. "But is this how highly sophisticated snobs do it nowadays?"  
  
"Butler?" Said Juliet.  
  
"No."  
  
"Artemis?"  
  
"Try again, sweetheart."  
  
Juliet groggily opened her eyes. The vision ahead of her was out of focus, and then it seemed to clear. As her version cleared, so did her memory. What had happened a day before came sliding forward and slamming into her brain like some living train bent on destruction.  
  
"You!"  
  
The cloaked figure in front of her laughed and clapped his hands. "Correct! That's so good, you win a prize."  
  
Juliet noticed the door was open and made a run for it.  
  
The figure, sounding uncannily like Artemis, said, "I command you to not leave this room or commit any--"  
  
"I'm not a fairy, y'know. Commands don't work on humans." She reached for the doorknob.  
  
"Ah, but I can make you and your friends suffer far beyond comprehension."  
  
Juliet turned to face him.  
  
"Artemis's mother is now dead. Don't you think another loved one's death might be too much for his sanity. Wise beyond his years or not, he is only a child. So, yes I can command you. Stay in here."  
  
Juliet mumbled something under her breath.  
  
"Come again?"  
  
"Yes…sir."  
  
Flagg left the room. Juliet didn't ask who he was, or how she had ended up there in the room…strange. Although she didn't accept being held captive, (and if she complained, it was no worse than what that fairy got) it was like she had gotten used to the weirdness. Flagg decided that with all the supernatural events happening in her life, nothing ever was surprising.  
  
Flagg shut the door and walked outside to view the house. Or, what remotely resembled a house. What had formally been called Fowl Manor, a luxurious place, was now a nameless war fortress. Flagg had found all the hidden land mines and set them up to explode at will. Goblin soldiers crowded around the house; anyone who had come within 20 feet on the house would be liquefied, or blown to bits by goblin fireballs.  
  
The Dark Man grinned. Things were going to be a lot more interesting from now on. That nasty little rich boy could count on it. 


	18. A friend in need

16.  
  
A friend in need…  
  
  
  
Artemis woke up from a dark, dreamless sleep. He didn't expect Holly to be there (and he had to admit, he was pretty rude, even though Holly was trying to forgive him) but he didn't expect to be alone.  
  
"How are you feeling, sir?" Said Butler. A bandage was wrapped around his head, and a blotch stood in the middle like an inkblot. A red inkblot.  
  
"I'm fine, Butler. Listen, I am sorry to have gotten you in this mess."  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
"Butler?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How was Juliet when you left?"  
  
"Er…I really can't say. Why?"  
  
"No--"  
  
The two were interrupted by the sound of yelling from downstairs.  
  
Root was in a bad mood (He almost always was, but today was even worse than usual) and it got worse when he walked in on Foaly to see him, instead of working, fiddling with some device.  
  
"What are you doing?" He yelled at Foaly. "Did you translate the code yet?"  
  
"It's on my to-do list, Julius." Responded the centaur. "Right now, I'm working on a dimension warper. It can--"  
  
"Is THIS what you have been working all month?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And no progress on the code whatsoever."  
  
"Er-- yes."  
  
Root's face turned a shade of dark purple. "I c-c-can't believe this is happening." He stuttered angrily. "While you were goofing off on some- some invention, the LEP was robbed-- wait a second…are you thinking what I'm thinking?"  
  
"I don't know. I'm not a psychic."  
  
"Shut up." Root said. "Maybe we could draft Mulch to help us. You do know he was found out to be alive, right?"  
  
"Yep. I see where you're thinking now. Too bad he's in Romania and we have nothing to bribe him with."  
  
Root grumbled something rude and somewhat offensive under his breath. Then the doors burst open as several soldiers came in.  
  
"Sir, there's an emergency…"  
  
""What now?" Said Root, a bit ticked off.  
  
"The goblins. They've taken over Fowl Manor and turned into some sort of death trap. We've already lost one of our men."  
  
Root put his head in his hands. How could it get any worse?  
  
"And that girl, Juliet. They're holding her for ransom…"  
  
Root had a sudden urge to blow it off, as the mud people had caused enough trouble already. Taking his head from his hands, he turned to Foaly. "Now, what were you talking about before…?"  
  
The Mortimer formerly known as Mulch walked down the stairs to watch what the mud people called "The Boob Tube". Mortimer snickered. The humans were such oddballs.  
  
He turned it on, and when he saw nothing good was on, so he shut it off. Mortimer kept on telling himself that life in a mansion was much better than that of a jail cell, but it was no use. Underground, he did not have to worry about sunlight. Underground, he wasn't used a way to get money. Underground--  
  
The TV flickered on, showing a gray-white sheet of static.  
  
Mulch took the remote control and pressed the off button. "Stupid technology." He muttered under his breath.  
  
The TV didn't shut off. In fact, the image cleared revealing a face he knew all to well.  
  
"Foaly!" Mortimer cried. "What are you doing there?"  
  
"I switched your TV transmission to my computer screen. Nice try at being dead, however."  
  
"Flattery will get you nowhere. Now tell me what you came here for."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"I don't think you would do this just to have a little chitter- chatter."  
  
"Correct. I need your help. And it seems this time that I'm the one at a loss. I have nothing bribe you with."  
  
Mulch wanted to be back at home (although not in jail), but he wanted to play hard to get. Putting on a grin, he said "I think we can work something out." 


	19. Mulch

17.  
  
Mulch  
  
  
  
The short, somewhat hairy man wore a long overcoat and a hat that covered his features. It was nighttime, and the figure was sitting in the waiting room for a certain plane trip. He was set for the 10 pm flight to Ireland.  
  
He was holding a newspaper in his hairy hands, and held it to his face. It appeared to most onlookers that he was reading it. Appeared.  
  
In truth, it held a paper-thin TV screen.  
  
Foaly's face filled the small screen. "Now Mulch," The centaur spoke. "You're going to need to set up another alias. If you get caught, they're going to look in 'Mortimer's records."  
  
"Uh-huh.  
  
"From now on until you come over here, you will be known as Terrence Seymour. Got it?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Good. Now, there is one thing that you need to watch out--"  
  
A grinning toddler, whom was being chased by his frantic mother, came over and grabbed at Mulch's paper.  
  
"Gimme that, kid. Its mine." Mulch growled.  
  
"I wannitt!"  
  
"That's mine!"  
  
"I WANNIT!"  
  
Riiiiiiiiiippp… The newspaper split in two, and the image faded away. Mulch groaned.  
  
"I'm sorry sir," Said the boy's mother, her voice thick with a Romanian accent. "I don't know what has gotten into him. Would you like me to buy you another?"  
  
"Don't worry about it, ma'am." 'Terrence' said. "My flight is coming any time now." She nodded, and walked away with the little boy.  
  
Mulch put his head against the seat, and sighed. What did Foaly want for him to watch out for?  
  
Mulch walked into the plane,. and sat down in a seat facing a window. Before the plane went off, a man wearing a dark coat and a hat asked if someone was sitting with Mulch. Mulch said no, and the man sat.  
  
The plane slowly lifted into the air, and the earth became smaller and smaller. The earth which Mulch had lived underground for most of his life. Why didn't Mulch travel underground? True, it would take longer but was it that urgent. Yet, Foaly seemed urgent. What did Foaly need that Mulch had and he didn't?  
  
Fowl.  
  
The name was ominous in his head. It had to with that Fowl Manor. Mulch was the only intelligent person without any magic whom could enter Fowl Manor. Did it involve that boy, Artemis? Or was it something worse? Much, much---  
  
"Are you okay?" Said the person sitting next to Mulch.  
  
"Sure I am." Mulch said. "Why would you ask?"  
  
"Your fingernails are digging into your palms," The man said with a bit of malice in his voice.  
  
Mulch looked at his palms, to see a row of bloody crescent moons.  
  
"Are you worried about anything?" The man said in a soothingly calm voice.  
  
Mulch was now ticked off. "Why do you care about my personal life anyway?"  
  
The man suddenly, and fiercely, gripped Mulch's wrist and twisted it. Mulch bit down on his tongue to keep from screaming.  
  
The man finally took his hand off. "I would go back to Romania, if I were you."  
  
Mulch looked at his swollen hand, and put it to his mouth to start the healing process. When he looked back, the man was gone.  
  
"Excuse me, miss." He said to a nearby attendant. "Would you by any chance know where the man sitting next to me went?"  
  
She looked confused. "There was no man there. You sat alone."  
  
When they finally got to Ireland, it was sunny out. Thank god for sunglasses. Mulch walked into the waiting room, and stopped by a corner. Making sure no one saw him, he unhinged his jaw and pummeled into the floor.  
  
Sometime later, a security guard happened by and noticed the hole. He peered into the hole, and saw it was a small tunnel. He looked down, and saw, halfway through, that it was blocked a big chunk of recently ejaculated cement. 


	20. Negotiations

18.  
  
Negotiations   
  
  
Mulch plowed through the ground, faster and faster. He knew perfectly well what Foaly had tried to warn him about, and somehow that thing was involved with the Fowl Manor. And he was supposed to confront it.  
  
Artemis got up from the bed. There was a brief flash of white-hot pain in the chest, but he didn't show any signs of pain despite the sweat on his forehead. Butler came in and saw Artemis putting his hand over his chest. He expected him to fall, but the boy just searched through the closet for something he could wear. His suit was ruined, and he wasn't sure the LEP had clothes his size.   
"Are you all right, sir?" Asked Butler.  
"Never been better." Wheezed Artemis. It was like he had something clogged up in his windpipe.  
"I don't think you should..."  
"Do what? Let me lie in bed while the guy who slashed my chest open is holding your little sister captive? " As soon as he said that, he felt a pang of shame.   
Butler looked a little pale at this. Artemis noticed he was sweating. "How did you know of that, sir?"  
Artemis remembered the dream he had, of the imprisoned figure that he thought was Holly but wasn't.  
"I overheard Root...er...talking with Foaly." Did they know? He hoped so.  
Butler nodded. "I still think you should get some rest, however."  
  
Juliet peered through the tiny crack in her door. Goblins were guarding the door, lest she try to escape. What she saw was the cloaked figure who was holding her captive strut down the stairs. Where did that lead to now? Oh yes. Artemis's main computer.   
Why would he need to use the computer?  
  
Artemis pulled off the fur-covered rug and draped it around his neck. He looked like a goof, but what was he to do? Desperate times call for desperate measures. And these were desperate times.  
  
Foaly sat on the computer screen. He just finished number #665 on his to-do list, and looked at the next one.  
'Translate code.'  
Ah, he remembered that one. Holly had found the coded message when she busted the goblins. He looked at the words. He honestly had no clue what they meant, but Holly had found 'Randall Flagg' in various places. Maybe he could use that to his advantage.  
Beep. Beep. Beep. 'Incoming message.' Said the computer.  
"Put them on the screen." Said Foaly, and saved the file.  
Blip.  
"Hello." Said the cloaked man on the screen. "I presume you are Foaly?"  
Foaly snorted. "Cut to the chase. You don't impress me."  
The man grinned. "Tell Artemis to come over here. I want to make some negotiations with Arty."  
  
Artemis walked into the room, with what seemed like a fur cape draped around his body. Foaly got off the chair, and sat.   
Flagg grinned at the boy's clothing. Artemis cut him off.  
"You slashed my previous suit to ribbons. Remember?"  
"I apologize."  
"You'll do a lot more than that." Spat Artemis. "Do you expect me to make a deal with someone who tried to kill me and then kidnap a close friend of mine?"  
"Yes." Flagg said a matter-of-factly, "I do."  
Holly walked in the room just in time to hear the previous snippet. Although Artemis didn't know it, Flagg was giving Artemis what Artemis did to Root. Artemis left Root on an exploding boat, and then forced Root to negotiate. Did Artemis realize this?  
"Now," Said the Dark Man, his face hidden by the hood, "I wish to acquire a sum 60,000 dollars in cold cash. I don't want any of your friends to do it, either."  
"Why does it matter? Its just money."  
"I have no use for money." Flagg said dryly. "I can usually get anything I need. Its all quite simple, really."  
"Then what's the point?" Snarled Artemis. "To teach me a lesson?"  
The Dark Man clapped. "Right! As soon as I get it, I plan on burning slowly until they are bits of ashes."  
Artemis tried speaking, but couldn't.   
The Dark Man grinned, and turned to Root. "Did horsemeat decode the message yet?"  
Root glared at Foaly, who shrugged nervously.  
"I'll take that as a 'no.' Don't bother anyway. It was simply a bunch of scribble with my name tossed in a couple of times. I then translated it to some gibberish language, based on acronyms."  
Artemis stared at the screen. "Listen. I don't care what your game is, or why you are doing this. I don't care whether you are a mischevious little sprite or some powerful demon. You. Won't. Get . My. Money."   
"Would you care if I brutally murdered Butler's sister? I could give her an excruciatingly brain embolism with just the slightest will power."  
"You wouldn't."  
"Try me." He took out a teapot, and poured some tea into a cup. "Tea?"  
"Please." Said Artemis through gritted teeth. A hand reached out from the screen, holding the cup. Artemis didn't act surprised, for all he could care, little aliens could come whizzing by his ears and he wouldn't bat an eyelash. He just drank the tea, all the while staring venomously at the man projected in front of him.   
The taste registered to his tongue, and Artemis looked at the cup. It was blood. Artemis threw it across the room. The cup shattered and thick ropes of the substance splattered.  
"Is this prank supposed to scare me?"   
Flagg sipped the bloody tea. "No," He said baring his teeth that were stained with the foul crimson drink, "It wasn't. But, what would it mean to you if I extracted it from Juliet? Or your mother?"  
Artemis dropped his intimidating mood. "What have you done with her?" He hissed.  
"Nothing. Yet. She is being kept nice and tidy in the same place you kept Holly. She will be free to go, if you pay the fee."  
"You sick monster."  
Flagg lost the airy coolness. With swift rage, he flung the teacup into the fireplace. It shattered with a great force.  
"Well, if that isn't the teacup calling the kettle black." He snarled. "All you care is about adding to your already large bank account. You are richer than most people, but noooo! You need to be a billionaire. You kidnapped an innocent person and played mind games with her JUST TO GET MONEY!"  
"Oh, and I guess you are perfect." Said Artemis, trying in vain to sound calm and collected. "And so sure of winning, too."   
Flagg laughed. "One of my lackeys killed your mother. Do you really think you can stop me?"  
"Try me."  
"Oh, I will, Arty. I will. I am a monster, yes. But I am not afraid to admit. Goodbye." The transmission ended and the picture abruptly went off with a click.  
Holly put her hand on Artemis' soldier. "Artemis, listen, I am really sorr--"  
"Do you think I need your sympathies?" He spat, getting up from the chair. "You don't even trust me. So forget about comforting me." He turned to the exit, with Butler close behind, leaving the two fairies and the centaur alone.   
On the floor, the stains of crimson blood from the teacup vaguely resembled an eye. 


	21. Preparations

19.  
  
Preparations  
  
Mulch waited outside the control room, to see Artemis storm out with Butler close behind. Mulch knocked on the door three times. In the middle of the third tap he heard Root say "Come in."  
  
Mulch came in, and saw Foaly, Holly and Root. They all looked grim.  
  
"So," asked Mulch even though he knew the answer, "What's my top- secret mission this time?" He gave a weak laugh.  
  
Root looked at Mulch. "Actually, we've decided that maybe this mission isn't for you."  
  
Mulch's stomach lurched, but he said "How bad can it be? I got in the Fowl Mansion."  
  
"Trust me Mulch." Said Holly. "This is no Artemis."  
  
Mulch looked at them. "Screw it. I know what I'm supposed to do."  
  
"You do?"  
  
"I do. I met a little friend on the plane. Began threatening me and then disappeared."  
  
Root cleared his throat. "What happened is Artemis Fowl's manservant's sister is being held for ransom in the Fowl Manor. None of our LEP can get inside as it is surrounded by heavily armed Goblins and booby- traps. Foaly was thinking someone with your unique abilities could get from underground to inside the house. You know your way around the house, I presume."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Juliet is being held in the same place Holly was. Doubtless this was a coincidence." He said sarcastically.  
  
"So why are we dealing with Artemis and his gang in the first place?" Mulch asked. "Aren't we supposed to leave them alone?"  
  
Holly looked at him. "Artemis and Butler are with us. His mother has been killed in a goblin attack."  
  
"Again," Said Root. "I don't want blood on my hands. You might die on this job."  
  
"Then who else would do it?" Asked Mulch. "If any of you go and die, the LEP has lost a valuable member. If I die? The jail has an extra space."  
  
"Don't be----"  
  
Mulch held up a hand to silence the centaur and left the room.  
  
When he was outside he dropped the attitude. "Acting was always one of my talents." He said with a bitter chuckle. "Truth is, I'd be happy if a drunken troll sat on me right now to end my misery." He sat down on a nearby boulder and put his head in his hands. If his gut instinct were right, he would have to make some good-byes.  
  
Artemis sat on the bed, trying to make a new suit using some old clothes of Holly's. The cloak was ridiculous, even that Flagg person laughed at it.  
  
There was a knock on the door. "Come in." Said Artemis. The door opened and he began to say something when he realized it wasn't Holly but a dwarf. Artemis had never met this person, but he remembered this was the creature that let out a big chunk of sticky cement at Butler.  
  
"Can I help you?"  
  
"Yes. Could you summon."  
  
"Butler?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"May I ask why?"  
  
"I need to settle something with him."  
  
Artemis nodded, and put down his project. He set off to find Butler. A couple of minutes later, Artemis came back with his giant manservant.  
  
"Yes?" Butler asked, his voice tinged with a drop of suspicion. He looked at the dwarf, and Mulch began to speak.  
  
Holly put down her copy of the Book. What she saw written in the pages sent an uneasy chill down her spine. "Someone whom shall need magic on the week of the first,  
  
Will find nothing in store,  
  
Even in if they work so hard they burst."center  
  
"What is it?" Asked Root, who saw a worried expression on Holly's face. Holly showed him the page.  
  
"Oh." Said Root, his face grew pale with that sentence. "Well.how do you know it'll be one of us who needs to use magic this week?"  
  
"I don't know. I just have this feeling in my gut.with all these.IthingsI going on."  
  
"Listen. Does it say any particular species will lose their magic? Maybe its just some random mining dwarf."  
  
Speaking of mining dwarves, Mulch began knocking on the door. Mulch opened it. "Yes?" Mulch opened his mouth and began to speak.  
  
An hour later, Mulch patted the soft, moist wall. This was the entrance he had done to get inside Fowl Manor. He put his hands to his jar, and tweaked it. They began to unhinge. Mulch plowed through the wall.  
  
He was near the wine cellar now. The girl, Artemis's servant, didn't have no magic law. She wasn't commanded to stay there, and she didn't have any magic. This would be easy, especially since she was hidden where Artemis had held Holly.  
  
He thought for a minute. Even if Juliet was saved, what about the goblins standing guard outside the house? They were dimwits, but still deadly. Even if the Dark Man had been defeated, or gave up the girl, the goblins wouldn't leave. They'd stay there and wait for the triumphant Artemis and let fire.  
  
Mulch turned around and headed for the opposite direction. He bumped into something hard and metallic. Opening his eyes, he saw it was a cylinder of some sort. He grabbed it and pocketed it, and moved on.  
  
"What are you doing?" Asked Foaly in Mulch's mini-receiver, which was conveniently placed in his ear. "You're going the wrong way!"  
  
"No I'm not." Mulch said simply.  
  
Mulch burrowed upwards and poked his head from the ground. He saw several high-tech guns pointed at his head. It was a good thing he said goodbye to his friends and to make amends with past enemies, because he wouldn't be able to do it again. 


	22. Sacrifice

20.  
  
Sacrifice  
  
Mulch stared at the weapons pointed at his head.  
  
"Don't move if you want a head on your shoulders." One of the goblins growled. His green skin was covered by armor, but Mulch could see his lidless eyes darting with anticipation.  
  
"Hold your hands up. Now."  
  
Mulch did.  
  
"Now stand near the tree."  
  
Mulch did.  
  
"Now, I orde--"  
  
There was a brief *click* and, the speaking goblin toppled over. Then as quick as it was, he got back up again.  
  
"Hello Mulch." He said in a strange, airy voice. At once, the dwarf knew that the Dark Man was inside the goblin. "I thought I told you to stay out of this." He sighed, and went on. "This goblin's body is wearing me out, so lets get some of the more important matters shall we?"  
  
Down under ground, Root asked Foaly "What's he doing?"  
  
"I don't know. He seems to be in a conversation with one of those goblins."  
  
"A goblin holding an intelligent conversation? I thought you were smarter, Foaly."  
  
"Oh, ha ha. We really have time for jokes now do we?"  
  
Back to Fowl property, the Dark Goblin lifted up a hand. "I temporarily disabled your little gadget. Your little friends won't be able to hear us at all."  
  
"What would be so sacred that you would be afraid of them knowing?"  
  
"Oh, nothing much. Except for the fact that Juliet is being driven insane."  
  
Mulch stared at him, his mouth agape.  
  
"I took a page from Holly's book. She made that shallow, self- centered baboon watch wrestling to keep her distracted. Me? I chose a more direct approach. What she is seeing is Mrs. Fowl's death over and over and over."  
  
He twiddled his thumb around in circles to demonstrate the event, and gave a little chuckle. That little chuckle is what drove Mulch over the edge.  
  
Mulch dived on the goblin, and brought his fist down on its face. The Goblin winced in pain, and struggled to get up. Apparently the Goblin could hold the Dark Man's mind, but not his strength leaving him vulnerable to Mulch.  
  
Then, the Goblin started convulsing. His head shook back and forth, as if to cough something up. It looked up at him with eyes full of hate and fear, but its eyes were not of his enemy.  
  
Suddenly a fireball blasted Mulch in the back. Mulch cried out in agony and fell to the ground, hurt. He struggled to get up and saw another Goblin staring at him.  
  
"Do you want to make this easy, or are you going to wreck a perfectly good host?"  
  
Mulch dived at him, but another Goblin attacked him. And another. And another.  
  
He couldn't know which was the demon in disguise, and which one was a mere grunt trying to cause some trouble. Mulch fell to the ground, and the cylinder that he had pocketed underground fell out. He picked it up and gazed at it. Could this possibly come to his advantage?  
  
Foaly saw the object on the screen, and immediately analyzed it.  
  
"Can you hear me Mulch?" The centaur asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good. The thing you are holding is some sort of bomb. Artemis hides these underground, and can be set off by pressing a button inside the control panel inside."  
  
Mulch pushed off a goblin and listened.  
  
"That thing also explodes on impact, so be careful and don't drop it or-- what are you doing?"  
  
Mulch was oblivious to the attacking goblins. He looked at the device in his hands as if he had discovered, or to be more correct, stolen something rich and valuable.  
  
"Don't even think about what I think you are --"  
  
Mulch didn't listen. "Goodbye, Foaly."  
  
Foaly had a pained, helpless look on his face. "Goodbye."  
  
One of the goblins grabbed a weapon and pointed it at Mulch. The dwarf held the cylinder in his hand. The steel felt cold in his hands.  
  
One of the goblins prepared to fire his weapon, but stopped dead its in tracks. The other goblins froze. Understanding filled their eyes, and then it was replaced by mute terror.  
  
Mulch threw the device on the grass. It exploded on impact.  
  
The Dark Goblin fell back. When it opened its eyes, he saw pure chaos.  
  
The Dark Man reentered his body and stared at the events unfolding as his army was destroyed. The window shattered, and he fell onto the floor.  
  
In the aftermath, Fowl Manor stood as it had stood always. The bomb's blast was catastrophic, but Artemis's house was very strong. Windows had shattered, and flowers were torn off from their beds, but that was all.  
  
The goblin's armors were not as sturdy and did not prevent the utter chaos that had happened. Every creature outside the house in presence of the explosion did not survive.  
  
Sadly, that included Mulch Diggums. 


	23. Raw Emotions

21.  
  
Raw Emotions  
  
Foaly watched the screen that showed the catastrophic events that had unfolded only minutes ago. An explosion had destroyed the Dark Man's goblin army but a horrible price: Mulch Diggum's life.  
  
Holly Short, unaware of the tragedy that had struck, rapidly turned the pages of the Book trying to find an answer that she didn't know of existence.  
  
Artemis walked inside the room. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, except for the fact that I might lose my magic this week."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"This happens once in a very long time. On a certain week, someone loses their magic forever."  
  
"What makes you so certain that of all the people with magic, you will be the unlucky one?"  
  
"Well, luck hasn't really been on our side now has it?"  
  
"Point."  
  
A little device buzzed in Holly's ear. "Yes?" Her face became paler. "Uh-huh. We'll be right there."  
  
Turning to Artemis, she said, "We need to see Foaly."  
  
Inside Foaly's headquarters, the Dark Man's face was projected upon the screen. "Hello, Arty." It said to Artemis who had just entered room. "Foaly and I were just having ourselves a little chat."  
  
"What's it is it this time?" Artemis growled.  
  
"I thought we were going to make a deal. Instead you sent an incredibly stupid dwarf to infiltrate the goblins."  
  
Artemis didn't speak.  
  
"Your dwarf is dead."  
  
He continued. "Are you going to send another lackey or are you going to face me like the man you think you are?"  
  
Artemis accepted his challenge.  
  
The Dark Man grinned. "I have an idea in mind which you might find interesting."  
  
Holly sent for a shuttle for Artemis, Butler, Root and her. As they all got in, Artemis noticed what little color there was in his face was gone.  
  
A couple of feet away from where the explosion occurred, the ground split open. It was shielded, so if anyone happened to come by it would appear to be a natural disaster of some sort. Of course, this probably wouldn't come off as a coincidence so as a precaution all witnesses would be mind-wiped.  
  
Luckily, none of the witnesses were human. Not so lucky was the fact that none of them were alive.  
  
Goblin bodies lay scattered all over the charred and sooty grass. Their armor resembled crinkled tinfoil and their faces had expressions of horror and pain on them. The house stood as it had before, but all vegetation surrounding it had been burned to a crisp.  
  
None of this registered to Butler. His baby sister was in there. Seeing that the door was open, he ran towards it when Artemis cried out to him to stop.  
  
"What?" Said Butler.  
  
Artemis took a stick and held three inches away from the house. It splintered in half.  
  
"I noticed a slight reflection of myself. There is some sort of shield blocking us."  
  
Holly looked down from where she was standing. Mulch's dead body lay on the ground. Soot and ashes stained his face, and bits and pieces of twigs were tangled in his beard. It appeared that he was near a tree, and the explosion crashed him into it. It must've been quick, as there were no look of agony upon his face.  
  
She pulled off her coat and draped it across Mulch's dead body.  
  
"Root?"  
  
"Yes, Captain Short?" Root said, without even looking behind him.  
  
Holly looked down, and though for a moment. "Nothing."  
  
Meanwhile, Butler asked Artemis "Sir, how are we supposed to get inside the house if this shield is blocking us?"  
  
"I honestly have no idea, but I'm guessing there's a catch since Flagg invited us here."  
  
Ever so carefully, he stuck out his pinky finger and put it the top of it through. Nothing happened.  
  
"Of course. If this shield were to disintegrate anything that went through it, my fingernail would've been trimmed off. Instead, it went through perfectly. However, when I stuck a stick through, it chopped it in half."  
  
Butler thought. "So that means---"  
  
"--Captain Short and Root won't be able to use their weapons along this mission."  
  
Turning to the elves, he said "I'd drop your weapons and gadgets on the ground unless you want them to be splinters."  
  
Looking a bit suspicious, Holly dropped her weapon and Root did the same.  
  
Together, they walked through the shield and into the house.  
  
The inside of the house was empty of people. Artemis stared at the ground, looking for any small stones that would set off any traps.  
  
Holly thought for a moment. "Artemis, do you think he's in the room where you kept me hostage?"  
  
Artemis slapped himself in the face. "Of course! Types like him love to repeat history at occasions like this."  
  
Flagg sat in a wooden chair next to Juliet. Butler's baby sister sat on the floor, Indian style. She was in a shock-like state. She stared ahead at the blank wall, seeing the same nightmarish vision over and over. A thin line of drool dribbled from her lower lip.  
  
He heard footsteps outside the door. They were already inside the house. Good, he thought. Very good indeed. . Opening the door, he ushered the group of four inside the room.  
  
"Welcome!" He said. "I hope you don't mind that I've made some changes to your humble home, Arty."  
  
Butler was the first to see Juliet. It took a second for him to register the fact. A red cloud of rage formed in his face. With a roar he lunged at the Dark Man.  
  
The Dark Man held up his hand to stop the rampaging manservant. Butler smashed into it. Flaggs hand crumpled, as the bones broke. He let out a cry of pain. It was temporary of course (the bones were already healing), but it hurt like Hell.  
  
The bones connected with each other and the skin healed. Just as he turned to face his adversary, he noticed Butler had already taken the chair he was sitting in. Butler smashed it against Flagg's head. The chair shattered upon hitting the head; it was like Flagg's head was made out of strong cement. Large, sharp chunks of wood hit the floor. With a scream of pain and anguish, the demon punched the massive man. Butler slammed into the wall temporarily dazed. As Holly and Root went over to try to help Juliet, the Dark Man progressed towards Artemis.  
  
"I have a very interesting offer for you, Arty."  
  
"What kind of offer?"  
  
"I was thinking a bit before you came. You could be a great partner for me."  
  
"After all you've done, you expect me to work for you?"  
  
"Not quite. But you do have some potential."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Don't play dumb with me. You risked someone's life to add to your already large bank account. You use people to get what you want. You are not a human, but a cold, heartless machine." Then, in a different tone of voice he said, "I like that in a person."  
  
"Then why did you kill my mother and try to k ill me?"  
  
Flagg laughed. "I never killed your mother, you did. If you had listened to Hot Gadgets Holly here, and stopped that goblin when you had the chance she'd still be alive. Your own mother was killed by your arrogance, not me. You know it."  
  
He paused and went on. "If you work for me, I will let you keep your house without you paying the money, fix Juliet up and resurrect dear old Mums."  
  
Holly looked up from Juliet. "Don't listen to him Artemis. He's lying! He'll--"  
  
Flagg shot a spark at her. Holly tried mouthing something,, but it appeared she couldn't' talk. "That should shut her up for a moment. Now do we have an agreement?"  
  
Artemis pretended to think for a bit. Flagg bent towards him. "Yes?"  
  
Artemis brought his left foot up, and kicked Flagg in the nose dead center. There was a cracking sound as the nose broke. Flagg let out a cry of pain and touched his nose, waiting for it to heal.  
  
"The only thing that I'll ever agree with is that if you were a girl you'd be called Mary Sue."  
  
Artemis suddenly understood what his dreams about the rotted tree meant. In a way, he was the tree. He was rotten, but there was still hope for him. If he worked for the Dark Man he might as well be chopping down the tree.  
  
Butler gingerly rubbed his head. When he pulled his fingers back, he noticed they were dabbed with blood. Everything was blurry.  
  
Someone shook him. It was Holly. She was gesturing toward to blurry figures ahead of him but she couldn't talk. He tried rubbing his eyes to see clearer. Ahead of them were Artemis and the Dark Man.  
  
The Dark Man looked around the room. He spotted chunks of wood from the chair that Butler had used on him, and grabbed a sharp, stake-like one.  
  
Artemis knew what he meant to seconds before he did it. The Dark Man raised his stake and plunged it toward Artemis.  
  
Everything seemed to go in slow motion for Butler. His job was to protect Artemis, and he would not fail.  
  
"Get out of the way, Artemis!" He yelled and shoved Artemis aside. The stake ripped through Butler's chest. Blood openly gushed out. The stake emerged through Butler's back.  
  
"NO!" Artemis cried out. Everything was going all wrong.  
  
Root, who was attempting to get Juliet out of her current state all this time, ran toward the fallen manservant. The wound was too big for his already low-supply magic, and even with Holly's help it was doubtful even if Butler did survive would he be able to walk.  
  
The Dark Man cackled. "I thought tormenting you would show your raw, brutal side.your potential. But you are as stubborn as an ox. Adios, amigo." With that, he slowly began to fade away.  
  
"You're not getting away from me. Not this time!" Artemis threw himself against the Dark Man's semi-transparent cloak. He noticed he began to fade, too.  
  
"Get off me, you little bastard!" Screamed the Dark Man. "You're going to mess up everything!" Artemis wasn't listening. His best friend was possibly dying, his maid was probably traumatized, and his mother was dead. This piece of filth was the cause of it. So no, this little bastard wasn't going to let go.  
  
Holly got up from Butler. "Artemis, wait!" She cried. Her voice was back! Thank the gods! Artemis wasn't listening, and he was hard to make out now. She grabbed him by the feet. Just in time, for at the moment, the Dark Man and Artemis vanished along with her, leaving Root with the two Butlers. 


	24. Showdown

22.  
  
Showdown  
  
Foaly sat at his computer screen, trying to gain access into the cameras in Fowl Manor, but all that came up was static.  
  
Behind him, there was a sudden thud.  
  
He turned around to see the Dark Man, Artemis and Holly lying in a heap. The Dark Man got up first. Turning to Foaly, he said "Sorry to disturb you like this, old pal. It seems my arrangements have been altered. You'll excuse me if I have to take you out of this picture. I can't have any techno-geeks trying to change the settings." Holly couldn't see someone else die. She grabbed the Dark Man by the waist and pushed him on the floor. After a brief struggle, he grabbed her by the head.  
  
Turning to Artemis, he said, "I'll give her an brain embolism right now if you don't agree to come with me."  
  
"Do it." Artemis said. "I want to see you try your hardest."  
  
Holly looked shocked, then angry. "I can't believe you, Artemis! After all you did to change!"  
  
The Dark Man simply grinned. "As you wish." He lifted up a finger, and shot out a spark. It fizzed out before it Holly. He tried it again. It fizzed out. "What the heck?" He said dropping Holly.  
  
"It appears you were the one who loses their magic."  
  
"What are you talking about, boy?"  
  
"Before we went to the Manor, Holly told me that the Book said that once in a certain number of years--"  
  
"Two milleniums." Said Holly.  
  
Artemis continued. "Every two milleniums someone loses their magic permanently. And I think that person happens to be you."  
  
"And what makes you think it's my turn to lose my magic?"  
  
"Well, since you don't have 'normal' magic, normal as the fairies are concerned; its apparently unlimited and you don't have to plant an acorn in the ground to rejuvenate it, I'm guessing the effects are different in your case." He paused, and went on. "In some of our recent confrontations, you seem to be more vulnerable. You are getting caught off guard, and your healing power seems to be running low. Several times Butler has been able to inflict serious damage upon you, and each time it takes longer for you to heal.. If you were at full power, would a normal human be able to bash a chair on your skull?"  
  
Flagg didn't answer.  
  
"So, because of all this I had a hunch that you were the one who loses their magic, at least temporarily."  
  
"That's nice, Artemis." Said Holly. "Risking my life on a hunch."  
  
Artemis ignored her. "Go ahead. Try to teleport."  
  
Flagg began to slightly fade, and then went right back to crystal clarity. Sweat rolled down his face as he used extreme effort but nothing happened.  
  
"I rest my case."  
  
Flagg punched Artemis in the stomach. He flew across the room and smashed into the wall.  
  
"It seems I have some magic left in me, Arty." Whispered Flagg.  
  
"Stop right there." Said Foaly pressing a button to notify the authorities. "Don't make a move."  
  
Flagg looked around the room. In the corner was what looked like a giant metal cylinder with detailed buttons and whatnot on it. Flagg glanced at it, and turned to Foaly with his hands up.  
  
"I surrender." He said blandly.  
  
Artemis rubbed his head. "Foaly, he's pulling a fast one. Grab him!"  
  
Flagg ran off to the cylinder with Holly in close pursuit. She didn't have her gun (that was outside Fowl Manor) but she did have her wings. At top speed she flew to catch Flagg but it was too late. Flagg pressed a red button and the door slid open. He ran inside.  
  
"NO!" Artemis cried. "Not again!"  
  
"See you in the Bahamas, tweetie pies!" Cackled Flagg. Holly tried to shut it off, but within seconds Flagg was gone.  
  
"No." Muttered Artemis. That was all he could say.  
  
Foaly, however, had a cheerier attitude. "I hope our friend doesn't mind that he probably won't end up in the Bahamas, let alone this dimension."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"A while back I was working on a dimension warper. It could transport the person to any place in any dimension. I was still working on the more complex configurations when Root busted in and lost his head and screamed at me to finish that silly code of yours. I forgot about it ever since."  
  
"So that means---"  
  
"--that Flagg could probably end anywhere. Chances are he'll be in a different solar system, or a dimension."  
  
"I hope he chokes to death on that planet's air." Snarled Artemis. 


	25. Aftermath

23.  
  
Aftermath  
  
There are no happy endings in this story, or in real life. But we must try our best to make the odds in favor of us.  
  
This isn't a Disney cartoon. When the villain is vanquished (or falls off a cliff) the hero doesn't wipe off his bruises and walks off into the sunset.  
  
The Dark Man's effects on Artemis and his friends were long-term.  
  
Juliet, whom had viewed Angeline's death over and over, had to be taken to one of the best psychiatrists in the world. She was emotionally scarred, and scars never heal. Although she would eventually come out of her comatose state, she would never be completely normal. Sometimes she would wake up in bed and have uncontrolled fits of crying.  
  
Root's magic saved Butler's life, but barely. The elf used up all his magic to heal the wounds but Butler wasn't as good as new when his healing was finished. In fact, it was his peak physical strength that made him the way he is.  
  
Butler would have to be confined to a wheelchair for a long time. He might be able to walk again in five months, five years or five decades. He might not be able to walk at all. Maybe one day a drip of fairy magic left on him would heal his spine. No one is sure.  
  
The funeral for Angeline Fowl was long-delayed. Only three people attended the funeral; Artemis, Juliet and Butler. Artemis himself is not too sure on the fact, for when he left to leave he thought he had detected a slight shimmer in the air.  
  
The next day, underground, Mulch was a memorial service. He was born a thief and died a hero. Mulch's body was recovered and was given a proper burial service. All that was found of the Dark Man's goblin armor were charred pieces of what was once armor.  
  
Artemis stood by a lake, the same exact lake he had stood by when Holly (in a ridiculous costume, he remembered) tried to apprehend the goblin that would later murder his mother. He was tired, and sat down to rest. It had seemed that he had paid for all of his years of good luck had went down the drain, and that drain had been clogged up with bad luck ever since. Nothing went right. If anything could have gone wrong, then it happened. Mother's dead, Butler's possibly crippled for the rest of his life, Juliet emotionally scarred and the Dark Man escaping through one of Foaly's teleporters.  
  
During the course of these thoughts, he detected a slight shimmer around the corner of his eye.  
  
"Hello, Captain Short." He said without looking around.  
  
"How did you know it was me?"  
  
"Must I explain the obvious reasons?"  
  
"I'm glad you're back to normal." Holly said.  
  
"What did you come down here for?"  
  
"We never did get to say proper good-byes."  
  
Artemis remembered. Without even saying a word to Holly and Root, he stormed out and called a cruiser to bring him back up to the ground.  
  
"Well, bye."  
  
Holly looked a bit hurt. Same old Artemis. "Bye." She said and started to walk off.  
  
Artemis realized what he had done. "Wait, I'm sorry. Its just that---- "  
  
"Just what?"  
  
"Have you ever stopped to think what would happen if Flagg didn't lose his magic temporarily?"  
  
"We'd be dead, wouldn't we?"  
  
"That monster wrecked my life." Artemis said suddenly.  
  
"Take a number." Said Holly. "Several of the LEP were killed by the traps the Dark Man planted outside the house, and Mulch--" She stopped in mid-sentence. "You're not the only one to lay awake at night. He lost his magic temporarily."  
  
"I think we scared him off. Even so, he's probably off in another dimension with alien squids and dog men."  
  
Holly laughed. "Probably." She said. "But you can never be too sure." She sat down next to him. "There is one thing you can be sure of, however."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Hope."  
  
The sun slowly began set. A couple of feet away, a tree that had once lost all its leaves had begun to grow again. It was very similar to the rotted tree, a tree so mangled and leafless, that was going to be cut down. It was beginning to grow. 


	26. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
Dreamworld: 2 (Flagg)  
  
"[Flagg]'s out there somewhere. In this world or some other or some other, he's out there. I know it; I feel his poison in the wind. He got away from us at the last second. You all know it, and I do too." ~ Stephen King, Eyes of the Dragon  
  
The Ninth Moon of Gyblick  
  
The Dark Man struggled across the crater-filled landscape he had found himself on. He had been traveling for what seemed like days. He hadn't counted on this happening, not at all. He would have thought that centaur would have finished his invention if he started it. He was wrong, and he ended up on this strange, strange moon of some sort. One of many moons, judging by the look of it. He wasn't on Earth, nor was he in the solar system.  
  
How was time on Earth going? Did weeks pass, months pass, years pass with day? Or was it seconds? When he arrived on Earth (IF he arrived on Earth, he reminded himself) would it be just like he left? Or would it be dramatically different?  
  
A couple of feet ahead, he noticed several domes. A city. He recognized them, and the people inside them. He was on the ninth moon of Gyblick.  
  
1138 moons surrounded Gyblick. He knew, as he had visited the planet once. He had visited many planets in his long life. But he never visited any moons.  
  
The people living on this moon were originally supposed to be the ultimate soldiers in alien war. Instead they were bumbling goofs who couldn't breathe Gyblick's air and were sent to live on the ninth moon. They were able to create teleportation devices more advanced than Foaly could have wished. Then they remembered they couldn't breathe any other place's oxygen. Flagg grinned. What idiots.  
  
The original test subject was called Gleebo. He was the 'leader' of the small moon. Apparently a plague had occurred, killing many of its inhabitants. A Dark Age had begun, and many buildings were destroyed during this time. Perfect for Flagg to take advantage of.  
  
Flagg walked up to the main dome, in the center of the planet. Walking inside (the people didn't have enough money for security) Flagg walked up the stairs to visit the leader.  
  
Sitting at the desk was Gleebo. On his shoulders were two long eyestalks. In the center of his stomach was a large mouth.  
  
"How can I help you?" The mouth on the stomach opened revealing large teeth.  
  
"No, my friend" The Dark Man replied. "Its more along the lines how I can help you."  
  
"What do you mean? We don't need any help."  
  
"You aren't fooling anyone. Your people are dying and catastrophes are as common as holidays. I can help fix that, even with my limited supply of magic."  
  
"Can you prove that?"  
  
Flagg opened his hand. In it was a tube filled with a green serum. "Put this in the water supply. I guarantee that every sick person will be cured."  
  
Most presidents would be suspicious of a cloaked man offering serums, but Gleebo was so desperate he took it.  
  
Flagg grinned. "Ask for R.F. if you want to negotiate tomorrow." With that, he left.  
  
The next day, every sick man, woman and child were better than ever thanks to the mysterious serum the cloaked figure had given Gleebo.  
  
"How did you do it?" Gleebo asked astonished. "How could you do that?"  
  
"Magic. Its child's play to fix that. I can also help bring civilization back to your cities, security for your headquarters and much more for a price."  
  
"Curing the sick was a mere freebie. However, my price is easy. I hear your scientists have developed telporters? Dimension warpers?"  
  
Gleebo looked confused. "But won't you be able to breathe?"  
  
"I am not of your kind, you fool."  
  
"Sorry, I wasn't thinking."  
  
"You never do. In exchange for my services, when I am done rebuilding your moon from the ground up I will require to use one of your machines. Do we have a deal?"  
  
Flagg held out his hand. Gleebo shook it.  
  
"Pleasure to be doing business with you."  
  
Flagg grinned. The thought of doing charities for people like this sickened him, but he couldn't risk any more time waiting for his magic to come back for him. Surely a once in two-millenium curse wouldn't fade away that quick, now would it? This way was quicker and more efficient.  
  
The Fowl boy was out of the picture for him. He had some potential, and flushed it down the toilet. It was better to make him think he was in a different dimension rather than invade his life again. Was he afraid of the boy? No, not really. Respect was the word he was looking for. Respect. In an odd way, he respected him. Although he escaped the authorities, Artemis found him out and humiliated him. An adolescent humiliating someone centuries old. Flagg would look back on this someday and laugh. But not right now. Besides, the whole world was full of potential. He just had to know where to look.  
  
He walked down the stairs and laughed. 


End file.
